Dragon Ball: Prodigals
by Devon Aster
Summary: Two beings, born away from their species' homeworlds, embark on a journey to rejoin their people. What will they do when one finds their race nearly extinct? What will happen when the other realizes their destiny may not be what they expected?
1. Part I: A Gilded Cage

_**Author's Notes:** This story takes place after the end of DragonBall Z. It does not take into account any of the events in GT. Canon characters make their appearance in Part II. _

I would like to thank all readers and reviewers in advance for taking the time to read. If you would like to correspond with me, my email addy is listed in my profile.

An appendix and related short stories can be found at the Blessed Namek Shrine. Fellow member Liaranne has written a wonderful poem entitled "Alone?" in connection with this fic. I'm very honored, the poem is listed in my favorites, so please take a moment to read it! Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story! 

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**

DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS

**

Part I 

Chapter 1   
A Gilded Cage 

-

Maimai stood before the large window of the south wall, looking out over the garden a story below. It was quiet this morning, hushed, which was unusual considering all of the seraglio's inhabitants were awake. Some of them would normally still be asleep having just gotten to bed or having retired late in the night. Others would already be up and about, gossiping, talking, singing, playing musical instruments or arguing over some trifle. 

None of the usual morning sounds were heard today. The women of the harem were scattered about in groups and singly, whispering or sitting, quietly worrying over the interruption of their rather monotonous routine. 

An interruption might be welcomed simply because it broke up the boredom that tended to prevail. But not this one. Not one that forced them to face the reality of where they were, what they were. 

Early that morning, one of the women had returned from spending the night with Emperor Seisan. Truthfully, she wasn't really a woman but a girl. Just about 14 years of age. She had come to the seraglio as a gift from her government. A tribute to keep the Emperor of the Doku-jin happy so he wouldn't send his army pillaging on their planet. 

This girl, Rachi, had been dragged back to the common room after her first night introduction to the "pleasures" of being in the harem. Beaten, bruised and afraid, Rachi had been dumped inside the room without so much as a glance from the guard that had escorted her. 

Furyo and Toriko, who had befriended Rachi almost from the moment she had arrived, had bundled the crying girl off to her alcove to put salve on her wounds and do what they could to ease the pain of their young friend. 

Maimai tilted her head a little to one side, turning it a bit to catch the sounds from Rachi's alcove. Furyo and Toriko came through the curtain, looking tired and worried, but not indicating that Rachi was in any immediate danger. Mai could hear that Rachi had stopped crying. 

_Probably sleeping_, Mai thought. It wouldn't do much in the long run but at least for now the girl could escape her suffering. Mai decided to visit Rachi after she woke up. She could offer some help in healing the girl's wounds. It was gift she had and luckily one that had gone unnoticed by Emperor Seisan. 

The women of the seraglio weren't exactly loyal to each other. Most of them were jaded by their experience and competed with each other for whatever favors they could gain. Being the Emperor's favorite "pretty" had its own advantages. He was less likely to beat a favored woman, could even be gentle if he was of the mood to be and more likely to call on his "pretty" if he was. 

At the moment, the closest there was to a favorite was Dorei. She was voluptuous, tall, with streaked sandy hair that was artificially kept in waves. Her status was slipping, though, as the Emperor had called on her less and less, and was not as gentle when he did. But she held on to what she had with an iron will and was quick to take advantage of any situation to ensure her position. 

Mai had almost been subject to Dorei's wiles when she had used her healing skills to help one of the other slaves. She hadn't been there long, so was unaware it might attract some unwanted attention. Dorei hadn't made it a secret that she would tell the Emperor of Mai's abilities and that the newcomer could expect punishment for it. 

Mai had managed to turn the situation back in her favor when the Emperor had called on Dorei and, in a fit of anger over some planet's refusal to pay tribute, had sent her back with bloody wounds. Mai healed Dorei on the condition that the skill would be kept a secret and used on others. Dorei was too proud to let the wounds she had heal into scars, so she agreed and so far had not reneged. 

The Emperor's favorite was currently reclining on a chaise, taking slow draws off a spiced cigarette in an onyx holder. The grey-blue smoke curled up to the ceiling and disappeared into hidden vents that kept the air fresh. Her tawny eyes were half closed and a thoughtful expression was on her face. 

Mai had no doubt that Dorei was processing the events of the morning and figuring how this might be used to her own advantage. 

Off to the side, two other inhabitants, Kaisui and Bachi, were standing in a corner by the window, talking to each other and had just drifted from the subject of how much noise Rachi's sobbing had caused. 

Kaisui periodically misted herself with a handheld atomizer, moistening her blue-green skin. She came from a humid world and found the drier air of Dokusei irritating. Her soft scales glistened in the morning sunlight as she moved a little, bobbing her head to agree with something Bachi had said. She waved a hand that had translucent webs between the fingers. She also had fins where ears would normally be, though it seemed they served much the same purpose. 

Bachi stood about the same height as Kaisui but was vastly different in appearance. She was insect-like, with amber colored hard skin and oval shaped head. Two segmented antennae grew from her forehead and twitched as she spoke. Jewel faceted eyes seemed to be able to see the whole room at once. Occasionally, a thin membrane slid down over them like an eyelid, keeping them clean of dust. Her wings were folded and held close to her back. 

They both seemed to have grown bored of the excitement of that morning and were now talking about how they hadn't received any new clothes and why did the cloth on the last batch felt so inferior to before. 

Bachi remarked it must be because the newest crop of Konchuu-jin silk hadn't been shipped yet. 

Mai suppressed a shudder and returned to looking out at the garden. The Konchuu-jin silk Bachi had mentioned was made from the cocoons of the slave class on their planet. The slave were purposely allowed to breed with abandon, with the ruling class urging them on by saying the more children they had, the more likely one of them would be allowed to survive the culling and mature. 

Kaisui didn't react at all to the mention of the silk and readily agreed that it was the best the Emperor could purchase. Her own people, the Mizu-jin, were used to having large batches of children and losing many to the stronger citizens. They were unashamed cannibals, though there were no castes. If you survived, it was because of your skill not your birthright. 

Mai felt little anger anymore towards those two. They had been taught by their societies what was acceptable and what wasn't. Bachi might have suffered some in the beginning, since she was an upper (though not ruling) class citizen and they weren't expected to sacrifice much for their planet. 

Kaisui apparently didn't care since she wasn't being mistreated, was in fact cared and provided for with the only demand being that she look pretty and be graceful. 

Mai sighed a little. That was another reason she couldn't feel much irritation with the two. They weren't subject to the same demands as the others. 

The Emperor certainly enjoyed his harem and expected them to obey his every whim. But he kept a certain few whose most demanding task might be to stand around and put up with the occasional touches. Bachi's sharp mandibles which flanked her mouth and Kaisui's tiny, razor-like teeth kept their duties to a minimum. 

Mai knew she should be grateful, since she benefited from the same situation. The fangs hidden behind her thin lips had helped persuade the Emperor to keep her merely as an ornament he would sometimes play with. That and the fact that he thought all her people were asexual beings with no gender and reproduced by egg laying also helped. 

The examination performed by the court doctor had not revealed anything that could be classed as "female parts" except for her breasts. When she was asked about her species, she had mentioned that she had hatched from an egg and summarized the process. The doctor had taken that to mean she couldn't used for the usual "pleasures." 

Mai hadn't argued and hoped that she would be freed, or at least put into a situation that would be easy to escape from. The Emperor had decided she was exotic enough to keep as a curiosity. He had praised her soft emerald skin and the bright red and pink areas that adorned several parts of her body. The fact that she had no hair, not even eyebrows, pointy ears and antennae didn't seem to phase him at all. 

He hadn't cared for her traditional robe and vest, so he commanded she wear something not so concealing and she was given sleeveless, gauzy dresses. 

Soft footfalls behind her interrupted Mai's thoughts. She turned her head slightly and smiled a little at the wild haired woman who approached her. 

"Hello, Brussi," Mai said to her. 

"Eh... morning." Brussi came alongside Mai, then whirled around and flopped down into the window seat, her long black hair whipping up and down with her sharp movements. She leaned over to a nearby table, snatched a round fruit from a bowl there, then leaned back again, draping her arms on the window ledge. 

Brussi inspected the fruit for a few seconds, then bit into it. After chewing and swallowing, she gave Mai a sidelong glance. "Rough night for the new one." 

The smile faded from Mai's face and she looked back out to the garden. The sight of the beautiful green and flowering plants gave her a little peace, even if she couldn't be among them often. "Yes." 

"Seisan's a pig," Brussi growled softly, scrunching up her face as she bit into the fruit again, making it seem that she was reacting to a sour spot instead of insulting their benefactor. 

Mai flicked Brussi a warning glance but knew her friend didn't care much whether she was heard or not. Brussi hadn't been in favored status since she was 14 years old. That had been years ago and was probably due to the fact that beating her didn't really cause a change in attitude. Mai wasn't sure why Brussi was kept, except maybe because she was the strongest of the women there and even she couldn't overpower the guards to escape. 

It was a good way to dissuade any of the others from thinking they could do better. 

Brussi scanned the thinning crowd of women, many of the thirty or so inhabitants had drifted off to their alcoves now, likely wanting to stay out of sight in the hopes nothing else would happen. She ate the rest of the fruit in silence. 

When she leaned forward to grab another one, Dorei said from across the room, "You shouldn't eat so much, Brussi. It goes to all the wrong places on you." 

Dorei laughed huskily and arched her back, emphasizing she had her curves in the right spots. 

"_SasKo iYaShi_!" Brussi spat, then grinned evilly, cutting off the other woman's laughter. 

Dorei's eyes widened a second, then narrowed. She drew a long puff off her cigarette, then blew it out in an annoyed fashion. She tossed her hair and smoothed out her dress, then fixed her gaze on another woman, demanding to be attended to. 

Mai sat down on the window seat a little space from Brussi. She picked up a small stringed instrument, settled it on her lap and plucked at it aimlessly. She bit back a smile and asked softly, "What did you say to her this time?" 

Brussi shrugged and leaned back against the cushions, then her grin widened. 

"I only called her a greedy bitch. It's not my fault she thinks I'm damning her to the gods every time I speak Saiyan," she answered and bit into the fruit. 

Mai choked down a laugh and plucked the strings some more, trying not show her amusement. Brussi might be brash enough to provoke Dorei, but she wasn't that bold. 

"I don't suppose that's because you keep telling her that's what you're doing when she asks?" 

Brussi shrugged again and kept grinning while she ate. 

Mai shook her head a little. She picked out a ancient tune, more suited to a _fue_, a sort of long wind instrument, then the lap harp. But the fifes and pipes provided didn't take into account the variance caused by her fangs, where the _fue _did since it was an instrument designed by her own people. 

Her mother, Rea, had often sung the tune during the dark nights of winter, when the strong northern winds howled and knocked tree limbs against their hut. Those nights had been disturbing, not because they were in any danger, but because her mother Rea was a survivor of the terrible storms that had ravaged her planet. The sounds had reminded her mother of the disaster and the reason she was now living on a foreign world. 

Those memories had been passed on along to Mai at her birth, along with thousands of years of accumulated knowledge from her people. So she could envision the birth world of her species, knew the language and customs, even the smell of the air and the taste of the water. 

Mai sighed again. 

Brussi tossed the pit of the fruit she had eaten into a trash basket and looked at Mai. "You were staring at the garden again." 

"It reminds me of my home," Mai replied, continuing to strum the harp. She honestly meant the hut where she had been born and lived for sixteen years. She didn't feel she could call Nameksei her home when she had never been there, no matter how much she wanted to go to it. 

Brussi grunted. She said, with an edge of censure, "It's been seven years, you're still homesick?" 

Mai's fingers stilled on the harp. She stood and laid the instrument back on the stand she had taken it from. Looking back out to the garden, she thought wistfully of her youth in the forest. 

"_Ka_..." Brussi said softly, then turned on the seat and studied Mai's profile. "I guess it doesn't get much easier, even for those of us who pretend it does." 

Mai smiled sadly. "I suppose so." 

Brussi sat in thought for a moment, then began, "Mai..." 

Before she could go any further, a guard opened the door and walked into the common room. His boot heels clicked on the cool tile. Mai, Brussi and the other women still in the room became silent, not moving as he marched crisply around the furniture and over to Rachi's alcove. 

Mai bared her fangs a little and took a step forward. Brussi was quick to her feet, putting a hand on Mai's shoulder. When Mai looked at her, Brussi shook her head. It would cause trouble for all of them if anyone interfered with the guard's mission. Mai reigned in her impulse to protect the girl and waited. 

Within seconds, a muffled curse came from behind the curtain. The heavy drape was swept aside hurriedly. The guard stepped out again and glared at the women, then marched back out. 

Furyo and Toriko, who had peeked out from their alcoves, now raced to Rachi's alcove and went inside. A broken sob could be heard seconds later. 

Furyo came back out and ran up to Mai. "Come... come quickly!" 

The woman tugged on Mai's hand. Mai didn't hesitate, she followed the other woman to the small enclosure where Rachi slept. She was still a few feet away when she sensed something wasn't right. 

Furyo pulled her inside. Mai looked down and saw Rachi sprawled on her bed, her face still mottled purple and swollen, lips caked with dried blood. Her skin was pale, she wasn't breathing. 

Mai knelt down beside the bed and spread her hands above Rachi's body. She knew what she would find, but had to check for the sake of Furyo and Toriko. It took only a few seconds. 

Mai sensed no life in the girl. The body was already becoming cold and rigid. She looked up at Furyo and shook her head. 

"I'm sorry..." she whispered. 

Toriko broke down, sliding to her knee and covering her face with her hands. Her black hair fell forward, shielding her as she rocked back and forth. Furyo held Toriko around the shoulders. She stroked her distraught friend's arms, making gentle _shhshh _sounds as she did so. 

Mai looked back at Rachi's body. She couldn't sense any life-threatening injuries. A few broken and fractured bones, but nothing that should have caused her death. No burst arteries or veins, no bruised organs. No evidence of shock. 

She probed a little deeper. No poison, either, though she hadn't really expected to find any. The Emperor was fairly strict about what the women could get a hold of. Even their food was served without utensils, so they had nothing to make into a weapon. 

Mai tilted her head. Something was odd. She found the brain to be a little unusual. Different species often had different ways of organizing the cells, but there were common traits that could be found. Rachi had a greater concentration of synapses in certain areas. 

There was something familiar about that... 

Mai began to search her inherited memories, the knowledge of the Namek-jin. After a moment, she found it. 

The traits Rachi had were common among telepaths and telekinetics. 

She gave a mental nod, that would make sense. Some telepathic and telekinetic species had the ability to control their bodies. Certain functions which would be in the realm of involuntary action could be changed or stopped altogether. 

Rachi had simply halted her body's functions. 

Mai decided that it wasn't necessary to tell Furyo and Toriko, at least not yet. They needed to grieve... 

Unfortunately, it didn't seem they would be given much of a chance. The doors swung open with a crash and the heavy pounding of boots on ceramic resounded in the chamber beyond. 

"OUT! Come out all of you!" was bellowed in a deep voice. A _crack_ struck through the air. 

Mai stood and tugged on Furyo and Toriko's arms, pushing them out of the alcove. They joined the rest of the women. The group arranged itself around the stout figure of Supreme Palace Captain Hiso. His face was flushed and he glowered at the assembly. 

He paced around the inner circle of women, sneering and clutching his _ferengor_, an energy whip favored by the seraglio guards since it inflicted a lot of pain without causing any injuries. 

"There will be a price to pay for this outrage... this disrespect to the high honor of His Supreme Self Emperor Seisan!" Hiso cracked the whip again, sending little blue energy bolts along the floor. "No one, NO ONE has right over their lives in this place! Not one is allowed to decide her fate!" 

He turned and strode to the middle of the group, then glared at each of them in turn. "All of you will suffer unless the ones who assisted in this come forth!" 

Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Most of them hadn't an idea of what this was about, this increased their fears. Some eyes began shifting about in an attempt to come up with a plausible scapegoat or two. 

Mai gritted her teeth and prepared to step forward. No one had helped Rachi's suicide, not that she expected Hiso to believe her. But at least it might spare the others. 

She waited too long. Dorei pointed to Furyo and Toriko. Her arm shook a little and she scowled, claiming vehemently, "Them! It was them! Furyo and Toriko, they were in Rachi's alcove after she came back! They helped her do it!" 

Brussi growled and stepped forward. She shouted, "How do you know, Dorei? Furyo and Toriko were Rachi's friends but they're soft. They wouldn't have the guts to help her do such a thing!" 

"Then maybe you did!" Dorei shot back. 

"Hah!" Brussi stood her ground, but choked back the challenge she wanted to fling at Dorei. It didn't matter whether or not Brussi had actually been in the alcove. If enough of the others thought it would help their case, they would lie easily to pin the crime on her. 

"No," Toriko said, her voice rough from her recent crying. She glanced up at Brussi, then away. "No one else was there." 

Furyo gazed at her friend, then tipped her chin up and stared defiantly at Hiso. She stated in her sibilant voice "That's right. It was us two. We aren't soft." 

Hiso cracked the whip again. 

"Touching, I'm sure," he sneered. "Very well, you two will bare the brunt of this. Guards!" 

Several guards came closer and spread themselves out among the women. Two guards positioned themselves by Brussi, one on each side, and took her arms. She growled at them but didn't make a move to dislodge their hands. Other guards handled either one or two women on their own. Four guards took charge of Furyo and Toriko. 

Hiso looked at each of his men, then said, "Take them all down to the execution area. We'll use the posts there." 

He grinned sadistically at Furyo and Toriko, then strode from the room. 

Mai pressed her lips together. She hadn't meant to let Furyo and Toriko take the blame for this. Rachi's suicide was not their fault! But she had waited too long. If she tried to argue with Hiso, he would simply put in her with them. 

Gods forgive her, she was too afraid now to do it. 

The guard gripping her arm began to pull her forward, moving her out of the common room. Out to the punishment that Hiso had planned. 


	2. Songs Forever Silenced

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**

DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS

**

Chapter 2   
Songs Forever Silenced 

-

A hot summer wind skimmed over the barren ground. Four scarred, wooden posts rose several feet over the hard packed earth. Rough iron manacles hung from deeply imbedded chains, well designed to keep their prisoners upright and immobile. There was no grass or other plants to soften this place. It was as desolate as the wastelands of Sarufa in the east, where the sun was merciless and rain almost never fell. 

Which was quite a feat considering the area was only a few hundred feet square and sunken into the ground by several feet. Some had said it resembled an abandoned quarry, one that no longer gave out any useful stone and was now used for the morbid amusement of its owner. 

A set of grand bleachers ringed the top of the square. The empty seats climbed row upon row into the sky and were crowned by massive cornices and intricate statues. They were built of a sturdy white rock and reflected the morning sunlight. Bright crimson pennants snapped in the wind, casting flickering shadows on an empty throne set in a boxed area on top of one of the walls. 

In the main area of the square, an unlikely group was gathered. Colorful and fine cloth contrasted with the barren ground. Artfully arranged hair, polished nails and soft skin stood alongside no nonsense crew cuts, calluses and scars. 

Hushed murmurs and muffled crying drifted up out of the pit, interlaced with the sharp crack of whips and the more piercing shrieks of those tied to the posts. 

Mai took deep, steady breaths. Her turn at the post would be soon. She had been unlucky enough to fall into the back of the group as it had been ushered out to the execution grounds. Which meant she had to witness the striping of many others without the benefit of pain to distract her. 

She wasn't sure one was truly better than the other, but given a choice between physical and mental pain... she would choose the physical. It was hard to shut out the moans and wails of those being tortured when the mind wasn't clouded already. 

Each crack and scream hurt her. 

Especially now, as she watched Brussi being whipped. The Saiyan didn't cry out, allowing only choked grunts to escape with each stroke. Brussi had too much pride to satisfy her abuser's ego with anything more, though her nails dug into the splintered wood. She would have stood on her own without the chains as well. 

But that didn't mean she was immune to the _ferengor'_s power. Every strike sent waves of agony through her body, feeling like fire along her nerves and causing her muscles to shudder. 

Mai was beginning to worry that the guard attending to Brussi might take the lack of reaction as an excuse to extend the beating. She had seen it happen before. Once, her friend had been stubborn enough to withstand 300 lashes without a single sound. 

Brussi had managed to walk back to the seraglio under her power. It was only after the guard had left, the door was shut and she was behind the curtain of her alcove that she had permitted her body to respond by passing out. 

Mai sent a small prayer of thanks to the heavens when the guard signaled to the others standing by. Brussi was let out of the manacles and led back to the group. She flashed Mai a cocky grin and took her place in the back. Mai didn't miss the catch in Brussi's breathing or the slight halt in her steps. 

Before she could think about it much more, a guard grabbed her arm and nudged her forward. Mai didn't try to stop him or hang back. There was no point. One way or the other, she had to face this punishment. 

She brought to a stop in front of one of the poles. It stank of sweat and blood, both new and old. Her nose wrinkled a little from the smell. Her stomach clenched a bit when the guards pulled down the top of her dress, baring her back. Then, her arms were forced up. The manacles closed around her wrists and clanked shut. She drew in a calming breath and tried to prepare herself for the pain. 

It didn't help. 

The first stroke cut through her mental defenses. Her body lurched a little and screamed to her brain that something was surely scorching it. Even though she knew the whips left no physical damage, her nerves begged to differ. 

The second stroke came quick on the heels of the first, adding its own measure of pain and ripping through her mind. The third and fourth drove out any coherent thought. Agony built on itself, spilling out in waves over her skin, then burrowed deeper into her flesh. 

Another stroke, and another. The insistent _whack whack _of the whip worked into her fogged mind, making the world nothing but a faded gray shroud of suffering. 

Mai began to become disoriented and a primitive gratitude surfaced for the numbness that hard started to work its way through her body. She couldn't be sure if she was hanging limp from the chains, standing, screaming or silent. The thought that Brussi would be disappointed if she was screaming flit through her brain. But she couldn't react to it and it slipped back into the depths it had come from. 

It took her a few seconds to realize the sound of the whip had stopped completely. The fear that she had been beaten to death bubbled to the surface. It was quickly ushered away when a pair of hands released her from the chains and pushed her away from the post. 

Mai blinked and the gray mist receded from her eyes. The numbness went with it, leaving burning trails down her back. She hissed. The guard took exception to that and rewarded her with a poke to the back. She stumbled a bit as renewed pain burst through her. The guard swore and threw her to the ground. 

She lay still a moment, sucking in the dry air and trying to will away some of the pain. The guard decided there was as good as anywhere to leave her and treated her to the sight of his smudged boots receding into the background. 

Mai licked her lips, coughing a little at the dust he kicked up. Breathing was definitely not a pleasurable activity at the moment. 

"Mai?" The inquiry was hoarse and low. It took her mind a little too long to figure out how to respond to that, so the name was repeated, "_Mai?_" 

A slippered foot nudged Mai in the side, causing her to suck in a deep breath at the throbbing it inspired. 

"Damn it, Brussi, I think the guard did a fine job on his own," Mai hissed, pulling her lips back in a snarl. 

"Hah!" Brussi crouched down and grinned at Mai, though the expression didn't quite hide the concern in her eyes. "Well I wasn't sure if you were dead or just napping." 

"Funny..." Mai wheezed. Strong hands clamped onto her arm and she found herself being hauled back upright. Mai couldn't stop the low growl that formed in her throat, but Brussi didn't mind. The Saiyan righted the top of her friend's dress, taking about as much care as she knew how. 

"You were one of the last ones," Brussi commented. She cocked her head towards the poles where two others were being loosed. Then she grinned again. "I'm impressed. You didn't scream once. Of course, it did look like you were about to pass out after the fourth strike." 

Mai rubbed a hand over her right side where the whip had caught her a few times. She gave Brussi a doubtful look. "Thanks... I think." 

Brussi patted Mai reassuringly on the shoulder, causing her to wince. 

The crowd around them quieted down. The two women glanced around to see what had happened and saw Furyo and Toriko being led to the posts. The guards roughly pushed them forward. Some faint jeering could be heard coming from the men. 

Furyo was chained first, her long tan arms bent around the post. Toriko, being shorter, found herself stretched. The guards smiled wickedly and began to tear off their clothes. The slaves were pawed, shoved and slapped. Captain Hiso stood off to the side, smirking and rocking a little on his heels. 

Mai clenched her teeth at the spectacle. It was bad enough they were going to be beaten for something they had no part in, but to add this additional humiliation... She shook her head. She wasn't surprised and supposed they should be grateful if the Captain decided those things were enough punishment. She feared he wouldn't, though. 

Her fears were borne out when the guards tired of their game and left a softly weeping Toriko and a stern faced Furyo to their fate. Captain Hiso strode between the two poles and swept his gaze over the assemblage. 

He motioned to the guards on the side. Four men came to him, two carrying flat wooden cases. The other two were brawny and wore black robes over their usual uniform. The guards carrying the cases opened their packages. The robed guards reached in. 

Mai's eyes widened as she saw what they withdrew. These whips were not the usual _ferengor _that were used. Instead, these had several strips attached to the handle. Each strip was adorned with razor edged bone. 

These were not whips meant to beat. These were meant to kill. 

Mai looked at her friend in horror. She didn't want to believe that anyone, even Captain Hiso, would use such a punishment. In the years she had been there, she had never seen these whips used before. Perhaps she was wrong? 

Brussi gave her no encouragement, instead there was a flash of pity in her eyes, then she turned her gaze away from Mai. 

The first cracks of those whips were quickly drowned out by the agonized screeches of Furyo and Toriko. 

Mai's heart fell and bile rose in her throat. Her eyes drawn back to the two slaves anchored to the wooden posts. Drawn to the rise and fall of those deadly strips. Drawn to the blood already flowing down their backs, copper and sapphire streaks on tan and blue. 

Each second imprinted itself onto her memory. Glittering drops pattered to the hard earth, bits of flesh flew as every arch of the guards' arms dug the thorns deeper. _Crack... crack..._ The screaming voices fading into sobs and into silence. 

And it still went on. More strokes, more flesh never meant to be seen being laid bare to the sun. The greedy soil soaked up the precious life that was spilled onto it. 

Mai pressed her teeth together hard, impotent fury churning inside her chest. She fisted her hands. Her nails sliced into her palms but she didn't notice that any more than she did the pain that still lingered in her back. 

This was insanity. This was... _evil!_

She felt a hand squeeze her shoulder. Her mind nearly blanked as some buried instinct screamed for her to attack whoever had dared. The horror and rage firing her heart flowed into her muscles. Only the shock the violent thought caused in her normally peaceful self kept her frozen. 

"Mai..." The voice worked its way through the turbulent feelings. "Mai, it's over." 

Mai panted, forcing the terrible emotions down. She squeezed her eyes shut for a few seconds. When she opened them again, she saw what was left of Furyo and Toriko still hanging from their chains. Her mind reeled from recognizing the various colored tags and white which peeked through. 

Incredible sorrow swamped Mai's soul. There was nothing she could do or say that would change what had just happened. Yet deep within, she wished for a way. 

The hand that had been squeezing her shoulder shook her somewhat roughly now. Mai tilted her head and looked at her friend sadly. 

"Come on," muttered Brussi. She tugged the Namek along, knowing that if they delayed, the guards would be too happy to help them move. 

Mai cast one last glance at the poles. She offered up all prayers she knew for souls on their way to the gods, pleading that they had suffered enough in this life so wouldn't the god of the dead see fit to let them into heaven? 

Brussi tugged on her more forcefully and Mai gave in to the urging. Following her friend, she made her way back to the seraglio. 


	3. Release the Caged Bird

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 3   
Release the Caged Bird 

-

Orange and tan feathers darted across the clear sky, soaring up and down, accompanied by a sweet trilling music. Thin yellow feet landed lightly on a branch. The bird flapped its wings a bit and puffed its throat. It gave out a few bold notes, hopped down the length of the branch, then back up again. 

Another bird of similar coloring answered from its perch in a neighboring tree. The first bird hopped again, then dove back into the air, once again trilling its song. Brown edged leaves fluttered down from the branch it had vacated. 

Dark, angular eyes followed the descent of the litter from a large window. The eyes closed, then opened slowly again. A sigh momentarily fogged the glass and the watcher turned away. 

_It's autumn again_, Mai noted. She wasn't sure why it should matter. Spring always brought a taint of sadness with it, since that was the season her and her mother had been found. She wouldn't easily forget the sight of Rea's purple blood staining the grass, its color almost matching that of the flowers they had been admiring seconds before. 

Summer now held its own horror. Rachi's suicide and the execution of Furyo and Toriko was two months past, though the memories were still fresh in her mind. 

But autumn held nothing. There were no events of note that had happened, no losses, no harsh beatings. Perhaps she should be grateful it brought no feelings of grief or anger. 

Then again, it brought no joy either. 

She sighed again and sat down on the window seat. A gentle snoring caught her attention and she glanced sideways. Brussi had taken up an entire couch, one arm slung over the back and the other over the arm of the furniture. Her head was propped in the corner. The Saiyan's long legs stretched over the cushions, leaving no room for anyone else to sit, if they had a mind to. 

Mai grinned. Not that anyone would try. Brussi didn't take kindly to being awoken for something as insignificant as someone else wanting to use the couch she was on. She would just growl and tell the other to put their ass on one of the other chaise. 

Brussi might not have the favored status of Dorei, but she wielded her own sort of power within the harem. Dorei might be able to influence the Emperor into punishing one of the women, but Brussi was powerful enough dish out her own brand, in person, if she was provoked to it. 

The thought made Mai grin wider. It wasn't that she liked the thought. Rather, it was the knowledge that Brussi rarely ever followed up on doing such a thing. She might berate, threaten and stomp around. She could glare a hole through anyone who annoyed her. Yet, the times Mai had seen Brussi actually use her strength were very few and almost always when the other had attacked first. 

A hint of mischief gleamed in her eyes as she picked a grape out of the fruit bowl on a nearby table. She took aim, flicked her wrist and sent the small object straight for the sleeping woman's head. 

Brussi's hand shot out and caught the grape before it reached its target. She opened one black browed eye. 

"Thanks, I am hungry but one puny grape isn't going to fill me up," she commented, then popped the bit of fruit into her mouth. 

Mai chuckled. She stood and picked up the bowl. Skirting around another table, she handed her burden to her reclining friend. "I thought you would be awake soon." 

"Mmm..." was all Brussi offered to that. Delving into the assorted food, she brought out a small red pear and tossed it to Mai. Then, settling the dish on the cushion beside her, she picked out a large orange for herself. "You haven't eaten a lot lately." 

Mai shrugged and sat down on a padded stool. She twisted the stem off the pear in an absent manner. Hunger wasn't something she was familiar with. No matter how little she ate, she never experienced the pangs Brussi complained off if she had to go without for long. Thirst she knew well, but not hunger. 

Her inherited memories didn't help there as they only confirmed that her people ate mostly for pleasure, not necessity. Warriors might eat to help replenish their energy stores. But given time even they would recover without it. 

It seemed to be a recent enough development that no one had quite pinned down the reason for the change. 

Mai rubbed her thumb over the smooth skin of the pear. She used to enjoy eating. The different colors, tastes, smells and textures of the food her mother found in the forest had always delighted her. The mixing of spices and herbs with other plants had seemed like some sort of magic. Her favorite had been the earthy mushrooms lightly cooked in seed oil and sprinkled with a white mineral her mother found in a small cave. 

Yet she found no real joy in eating the food provided here. It was tainted with too much sorrow, too much despair. It reminded her of how she was kept alive simply for the perverse pleasure of a man. Even the sweetest fruit left a bitter taste in her mouth. 

Mai placed the fruit back in the bowl, which had become noticeably less crowded while she had been thinking. 

Brussi's brows drew together. She picked up the pear and tossed it back to Mai. The Namek caught it. She shook her head, then put it back in the bowl. Brussi scowled, plucked the pear out and nearly threw it at Mai's chest. "Eat." 

"I'm not hungry," Mai replied, her face setting into a defiant expression. 

"Brat. Don't know what's good for you," snapped Brussi, becoming irritated at her friend's disobedience. 

"You're not that much older than me!" countered Mai. She glared at the Saiyan, some part of her mind rebelling at the thought of eating anything that came from Emperor Seisan. "I don't _need_ to eat!" 

_Unlike some people who seem to need a forest full_, she mentally tacked on. 

Brussi grumbled and settled back onto the couch. She accepted defeat for the moment, only because she still couldn't comprehend someone not needing to eat at all. In the fifteen years she had been in the seraglio, she had never known anyone who could survive without food for more than a month. And that was some weird reptilian species that slept half the time. 

She shrugged, feigning disinterest now, figuring hunger pains would eventually catch up with Mai. If the Namek was stubborn enough to let it go too far, she'd just hold her friend down and shove the food in. 

Mai took Brussi's silent concession gracefully. She didn't really want to fight with the woman. It was the constant uneasiness she felt since the executions that had her on edge. This life, this captivity was getting to her. Realistically, she knew she could outlive the Emperor. If she wasn't put to death for some reason or other, it was possible for her to escape. She only had to wait. 

But the thought that escape was impossible was growing more and more difficult to ignore. How long, really, did she have? How long would the Emperor indulge in a female that couldn't give him what he craved the most? 

On her arrival, she had witnessed one such "female" being taken away, never to return. The pale, androgynous being seemed to sense its coming doom and had struggled madly. Its whispery voice begged to be allowed to return to its home, to its people, if the Emperor was truly weary of its presence. 

The pleas had gone unanswered. Mai didn't understand the significance of the event until Dorei had joked that the Emperor couldn't stand to have more than a few "living statues" in his harem. 

So how long before someone came to replace her? 

She didn't know, couldn't even guess. Maybe if she was living for herself, she could be resigned to her fate. Maybe come to terms with the universe and fate for placing her here. Maybe even find a little touch of happiness here and there before her death. 

But Mai couldn't give in. She couldn't resign herself and fade into time as one more forgotten tragedy of the Emperor Seisan's rule. Her mother, Rea, had been sent here for a specific purpose. She had managed to keep herself alive and well. And when she had realized the rescue might not come before her own death, had given birth to a daughter to succeed her, even though it nearly cost Rea her life in the process. 

Mai was, in essence, the female side of her people. Her gender was rare enough under normal circumstances. The terrible storms that ravaged her home world would certainly have cut the number down even more. Predictions of mass death had prompted the exodus of both male and female children to other planets in the hopes of some surviving long enough to be retrieved later. 

No one had come yet. Or if they had, were stopped by either previous rulers or the current Emperor Seisan. She didn't think her weakened race could mount a militant rescue. She had accepted that she might live her whole life here unless she could find a ship to use. 

But the thought that she might be killed, that one more part of her people might be wiped out forever, frightened her. She was prepared to risk her life to give birth to a daughter if she had to. It was dangerous for females to reproduce by egg, but it was the only way to preserve that bit of her heritage. Egg-birth couldn't pass on any genes that weren't stored within the parent and the small chromosome that determined gender was unpaired. 

None of the surviving males would have it available to gift to their own egg-born children. Just as she could never give birth to a son herself. 

Perhaps... if reproducing by egg wasn't so costly in itself whichever gender decided to use it, she could let it go. If each generation of egg-born didn't shorten the lifespan of her species... 

No. This was the way they were. Until they evolved into a newer state, this was the method nature had given them. Egg-birth was a secondary means of continuing their race. 

"_KaMai_?" 

"Hmmm?" Mai focused on Brussi again. 

"You were lost," Brussi said. Her forehead was furrowed with worry. 

Mai smiled a little. "I suppose I was. I was just... thinking." 

"Hmph. Probably hunger affecting your brain," Brussi groused. She didn't move to throw any more bits of food at Mai, though, so the Namek shrugged it off. 

Mai got up and wandered back to the window. She raised her eyes, studying a dark cloud overhead. 

_Unusual_, she thought. The rest of the clouds were a much lighter gray. She swept her gaze over the sky, looking for any other signs of a storm. She frowned as she came back to the dark spot and followed a column of similar color down to the ground. 

Mai pressed a hand against the window, shouting to her friend, "Brussi! The garden is on fire!" 

Great tongues of flame were coursing over the lower terraces, devouring the rich foliage that had began to wither and dry in preparation for the coming winter. 

"What?" Brussi leapt off the couch. As she moved toward the window, Mai turned and opened in her mouth in shock. 

The wall next to Brussi exploded inward. Chunks of the hard marble that formed the exterior blasted into the common room. The force of it knocked Brussi down and sent her skidding a few feet away. 

Shards of glass shredded Mai's dress, slicing through the soft green parts of her skin. She instinctively raised her arms, red patches out, to shield her face and neck. Braced against the shock, she slid back an inch or two on the tile, but did not fall. 

"What the hell was that?" Brussi demanded from under the debris that covered her. She grunted as she pushed off a large piece of marble, then stood a bit unsteadily. She flicked the remaining rubble off her shoulders and strode over to the gaping hole in the wall. 

Mai lowered her arms, somewhat assured for the moment that no other attack was coming. Brussi leaned forward and peered outside. The Saiyan grinned. 

"Looks like some Doku-jin have had enough of Seisan. There's a bunch running around down there with weapons, fighting off palace guards," she observed. 

Mai backed away from what was left of the window. "Brussi get away from there!" 

Brussi made an annoyed sound and frowned at Mai. Her heart was beating fast with the call of battle. The older woman desperately wanted to leap down into the garden. She didn't know if those rebels would welcome her help or not. Frankly, she didn't care. The idea of paying back the guards for her years here was invigorating! 

She was about to give in to that urge when the doors to the common room swung open, banging against the walls. 

A small group of motley clothed men rushed into the room and looked about. One that wore navy arm bands over his dirty, cobbled together uniform, nodded to the others. "It's just the Emperor's harem. We'll have fun with them later. Move out!" 

He waved to his men and they filed out again, not concerned with the bunch of pampered females they were leaving behind. One rebel tossed a leer over his shoulder as he exited, promising with a look that he would be back to enjoy the spoils of their little war. 

Several of the women who had been in the room during the attack were huddled behind the furniture or squeezed up against the walls. Many had glazed eyes and some where sobbing hysterically. 

A few heads cautiously emerged from the heavy curtains that were draped in the alcove openings. Fear and uncertainty could be felt in the air. 

Brussi stood a moment, contemplating the open doors. Then she began to walk slowly towards the portal. 

"Brussi!" Mai hissed, waving her hand at her friend. 

Brussi didn't show that she had heard. Instead, she stopped within the doorframe. She looked to the right, then to the left. She half-turned back to Mai. 

"They're gone." 

"Brussi..?" Mai studied the other woman. There was a strange light growing in Brussi's eyes. An expression the Namek hadn't seen before. 

A grin spread slowly on Brussi's face. Her dark eyebrows came down, giving her a satisfied, cold look. 

"This is our chance," Brussi said in a low, hungry voice. "Now! While the rebels and palace guards are busy killing each other!" 

Mai's eyes widened. Her voice rose a bit high as she said, "Brussi, are you insane? They have weapons! Do you think they'll care if they hit us?" 

Brussi scowled deeply and snapped. "_I _don't care! If I die, so be it. At least I won't be waiting around passively for someone else to decide whether or not I deserve to live! I'll die in battle!" 

With that, she whirled around and raced out into the hall. 

"Brussi!" Mai shouted but knew it was no good. A Namekian curse slipped off her tongue, "_Tsuato_!" 

Mai raced out after her friend. 


	4. Beneath Tame Breasts Beat Wild Hearts

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 4   
Beneath Tame Breasts Beat Wild Hearts 

-

Mai's softly shod feet made quiet _shush shush_ noises as she trotted down the hall. The rustle of her clothes mingled with the muted sounds of occasional explosions outside. Her eyes darted about the luminous hall, barely taking in the vividly painted panels decorated with precious gems and sunk into shallow depressions in the creamy stone walls. She brushed past exotic potted plants in their polished ceramic holders. 

Her ears were pricked for any sounds of returning rebels. She knew she should go more slowly, more carefully, but she had already lost sight of Brussi. Worry that she might be too late to prevent her friend from doing something extremely foolish spurred her on. 

Mai squeezed along the wall as she came to a bend and looked around the corner. Tips of wild looking hair disappeared below the landing of the stairway leading to the first floor. Mai bit her lip to keep from swearing again. At least Brussi wasn't making any sound. 

The Namek resumed her journey, going a little more slowly now, until she reached the two navy leaved potted trees that flanked the stairs. Inching around them, she put her hand on the edge of a translucent drape tied back to the wall. It's mate was tied back on the other side. At night, they would usually be loosed and allowed to flow across the top of the stairs. A ritual she had never understood. 

Peering down the stairs, she didn't see her friend. Carefully, slowly, she shuffled to the top step, then placed her foot down on the next one. Then her other foot on the next... and the next. Each time frazzled her nerves more, an urge was growing to fling aside caution and race down. The fear that Brussi had already left the seraglio was gnawing at her gut. 

_If she has... will I be able to find her again?_ Mai pushed aside the thought and kept her eyes and ears open. 

Finally, her foot touched the floor of the main hall of the first floor. She resisted the relieved breath that wanted to rush out. She kept her breathing even, quiet. A familiar sensation drew her attention to her left and she saw Brussi squatting behind a portly plant. The Saiyan appeared to be watching something intently through the leaves. 

Mai crouched and sidled along the wall until she was bare inches behind her friend. She whispered very low, "Brussi..." 

"Geh... quiet!" Brussi admonished in the same, low voice, not once glancing back at Mai. She pointed at something on the other side. 

Mai slipped between Brussi and the wall. Stretching her neck a bit, she peaked through the foliage. Two rebels had been set to guard the entrance. They didn't appear very concerned with their mission. Both of them leaned against opposite sides of the doorframe, their weapons cradled carelessly in their arms and talked, though not loudly. 

Brussi motioned to get Mai's attention again. She pointed at the Namek's eyes, then to her own chest. Mai looked at her, slightly confused, but gathered the woman wanted her to wait and watch. 

A strangled little cry nearly escaped Mai's throat when Brussi began to creep around the plant. The Saiyan didn't hear or didn't think it necessary to scold at the moment. Instead, she kept going. Switching to a less crouched position, she silently moved toward the men. Her hair almost seemed to react to the new excitement by standing up a little more. 

A feral smirk broke out on Brussi's face. Her brows were low and together, eyes sparking with the electric feeling that was running through her. A tiny, savage voice demanded _kill... kill..._

Brussi leapt. A base growl rumbled down the hall as she attacked the men. Unprepared to bring their weapons to bear quickly and lacking any true protective armor, the guards felt the full fury of the strike. 

The unleashed warrior drove her palm into one guard's chin, breaking several of his teeth as his jaws jammed together, and smashed his head into the corner of the stone door post. She whirled about, sending her foot into the other guard's stomach. She felt a delightful give, a mushy feeling where there had been solid flesh before. 

The guard doubled over, a gush of blood spewing from his gaping mouth, eyes wide with pain and surprise. 

He didn't get much time to mull over how a harem woman managed to attack so effectively, if he could think at all. Brussi quickly withdrew that leg, dropped back into a stance, then whipped out the leg again, catching the side of his head. His neck snapped audibly and the limp body skimmed past the corner of the door frame, arched across to the opposite wall, bouncing off slightly when it hit, then coming to rest as a crumpled heap on the floor. 

Brussi quickly took stock of her work. Breathing heavily, mostly from the surge of killing, she thought it wasn't a bad first fight to have after so long. She drew her long, muscled body into an attentive posture. 

Mai didn't see things quite the same. The sight of the growing pools of blood under the dead guards brought to mind another times she had witnessed such carnage. Neither were memories she cared to revisit. She didn't think this one would be any different. 

"Did you have to kill them?" 

Brussi looked over her shoulder, her expression making it clear what a naive question that was. The woman stalked over to her still hiding friend. "Come on. We have to get out of here before someone tries to contact them for a report or something." 

Mai hesitated a moment. She hadn't really feared the Saiyan for a long while. In the beginning, Brussi had been intimidating. A spike haired Amazon with a smoldering blood lust buried deep inside her sable eyes. Only time and circumstance had eased away the trepidation she had felt at first. 

She couldn't deny it was back and warring with the positives that she knew about Brussi. 

The Saiyan grabbed the front of Mai's dress, twisting the fabric in her fist and hauling Mai to her feet. She growled, pulling the Namek's face so close to her own that the other could feel each warm exhalation. 

"I _swear_ I will leave you behind with the rest of those _KuRash,_" Brussi spat. Her face was contorted, foreboding. There was no hint that she didn't mean it, no softness to smooth away the fierce wildness emanating from her. 

But Mai's deepest heart couldn't be touched by it. She stared back into Brussi's dark eyes. "What about them, Brussi? We can't just leave them behind!" 

"Aaagh!" Brussi pushed Mai away violently. The Namek landed hard on her backside. The shock of it splintered up her spine, stealing her breath. She grit her teeth against the pain. 

"You want to go back? You want to risk the chance of escaping? Choose them over freedom?" Brussi's hard voice demanded. 

_Choose them over me?_

The unspoken question hung in the air. The two locked gazes, each knowing the thought was there, neither wanting to bring it out into the open. 

Mai took a deep breath, using her natural ability to quiet the aching in her body. She couldn't do much for the aching in her soul. "I couldn't live with myself... if I didn't try." 

"Shit!" Brussi sent her foot into the pot they had hidden behind. The object exploded from the impact sending porcelain shards, dirt and plant bits flying in all directions. She didn't blink as the debris pelted her. The woman's chest heaved, physical evidence of the emotions churning inside. Only her breathing, the tinkle of the ceramic pieces and the rain like sound of the dirt falling on tile echoed in the hall for several seconds. 

Brussi's body stilled then. She turned away and walked toward the entrance. Stopping before the portal, she said, without looking back, "You have five minutes to convince those fools to join us." 

A smile spread on Mai's face. She pushed up off of the floor, ignoring the small twitches in her lower back. "I'll return as quickly as I can." 

Brussi didn't answer as Mai trotted back up the stairs. 

Mai didn't take as much care being silent this time. She doubted that the noise they had made during their short argument would have gone unnoticed if any rebels had been near enough to hear it. The slap of her feet against the hard floor could hardly attract more attention. 

She almost slid on the slick ceramic as she took the corner a bit fast. Another catching pain stabbed the right side of her lower back, but she shoved it out of her mind. Her single concern at the moment was getting to the others. Panting a little, she burst back into the common room. 

The scene was chaotic at best. Dorei was threatening one of the still crying women. She was brandishing a carved hand rest that had broken off a chaise, her shrill voice demanding the woman be silent. 

Several sat slumped against the walls or huddled together. A slim, lavender haired woman was busily chewing on each of her six fingers. Rivulets of peach blood snaked down her arms. Others were wandering around, picking up broken pieces of the many statues and bowls that had been scattered about on tables. Some were righting the furniture, brushing torn fabric and scratched wood lovingly as if merely by touch they could repair the damage. 

They looked so confused... afraid... lost... 

Mai swallowed the tears that wanted to be shed. This wasn't the time for grieving. She strode over to the lavender haired woman and gently forced her fingers from her mouth. Calling on her healing ability, she soothed the self-inflicted wounds and stroked the woman's soft locks. "It will be all right." 

"All right? All right?" Dorei whipped around, abandoning the current target of her ire and fixed her scathing gaze on Mai. "How can you say it's going to be _all right?_" 

Each word was punctuated with an agitated step forward, continuing until she was half a foot away. She raised her wooden stick and rendered a stunning blow to the side of Mai's head. 

The Namek dropped to the floor. She hadn't expected Dorei to come across the floor so quickly or to attack. Her head throbbed on one side, a ringing settled into her ear. A warm, sticky fluid coursed down her temple, tickling its way over cheek and jaw. 

Bile rose up in her throat and was nearly expelled when Dorei kicked Mai in the side. Mai choked down the vile liquid. Shaking her head to try and banish the lightness, she gasped, "Dorei... we can't... fight each other... not now..." 

Dorei answered that with another kick, this one hitting Mai on the right side of her lower back. She repeated the attack, again and again, shrieking, "Freak! Don't tell me what to do! You can't tell me what to do! _Nobody tells me what to do!_" 

Pain washed over Mai with every hit, coming in unending waves, harkening back to the day she was whipped with the _ferengor_ for the tragic death of a beaten girl. 

Mai's mind blanked out. A demonic roar ripped out of her throat and she surged upwards. She flung out a hand, raking her nails over Dorei's face. The razor claws normally kept so well controlled sliced through soft skin. 

Dorei screamed in rage and agony. Blinded by the blood dripping from the scratches, she responded with a wild strike. Mai caught the arm and twisted it, pushing it into Dorei's back. She sank her fangs into shoulder and neck. Dorei screamed and sobbed, then dropped to her knees. 

One trembling hand came up to trace the long, thin wounds on her face. They weren't too deep, but they would leave scars. Another sob broke from her lips. Finally, she slumped forward. 

Mai released Dorei's unconscious form and ran her tongue over her bloodied teeth. The metallic taste seeped into her mind, waking her from the trance she had fallen into. She raised her fingers to her mouth only to stare at the flesh embedded under her nails. 

_Oh gods... what have I... done? _ Mai knelt and retched on the debris littered floor. 

Quiet sobs and frightened whimpers swirled around her, reminding her that she wasn't alone. She spat out as much of the lingering sourness in her mouth as she could. Her stomach still clenched spasmodically, her back ached more now, too. But she knew she couldn't spend any more time indulging her upset senses. Brussi had given her five minutes and she didn't know if the Saiyan's patience would keep her longer. 

Mai ground her teeth and pushed up from the floor. She took a few deep breaths, looking around at the others. Her lips trembled a little as she observed the stark terror in some of their eyes. "I... We have to leave... escape." 

The whimpers and sobs increased. Many looked away from her, shuddering and huddling closer together. Others continued to stare in shock. 

"Please... come!" Mai reached out to the nearest woman. 

The reaction was instant. The woman shrieked in horror and scuttled backwards, cutting her hands and legs on the sharp debris scattered on the floor. Wails rang out, rebounding off the walls. 

A piece of broken stone whizzed through the air and struck Mai on the shoulder. She winced, turning to the direction it had come from. 

Kaisui shuffled back. Her blue-green skin pale from dust and dryness. The fins on the sides of her head quivered. Cracked lips worked themselves into different shapes, but no sound emerged from them. 

Before Mai could plead again, another stone, larger and sharp edged, lashed her upper arm. Her hand came up quickly, covering the gash. She swiveled her head and looked at her second attacker. 

It was Bachi this time. The Konchuu-jin didn't back down. Instead, she picked up another chunk of marble from a pile of rubble. She threw it hard, aiming for Mai's head. 

Mai blocked the projectile easily, though another hit her in the spine. Her breath hissed as it sent fingers of pain downward. Another stone quickly followed, then a bit of wood, another stone, more and more debris began raining on her from all sides. 

"Demon!" shouted Bachi. 

"Hell spawn!" joined in Kaisui's husky voice. "Wants to kill us, eat us, sacrifice us!" 

"Monster!" another voice. 

"Fiend!" 

"Devil god!" 

The attacks became stronger with each invective, bruising and tearing Mai's skin. Worse, it bruised and tore her soul. She began to back away, stumbling toward the door while trying to fend off the debris that kept striking her. 

"Please! Come with us!" she begged through tears. The answer was more objects hurled at her, growls and insults. 

Soon, she was pressed against the hallway wall. With a sob, she pleaded one more time, "Please, escape with us, you don't have to stay here!" 

The broken frame of a chair crashed into the wall beside her. A few more inches and it would have smashed into her head and torso. 

Mai cried out, then fled down the hall. She skirted the corner and tripped on the top step. Her body tumbled down the stairs, her head struck the walls a few times, her lower back hit one of the marble edges. Sharp pain cut through her. Finally, she came to rest on the floor below. 

Footsteps thumped towards her. Mai opened her eyes, her vision blurry. She tried to focus on the scowling face that lowered itself to look at her. 

"My guess is that they said no," a hard voice sneered. 

Mai shivered as pain still shuddered through her. She tried to answer, to nod or speak, but she found herself being closed in by misty darkness. The thought that she had failed miserably was the last coherent thing she knew. 


	5. Clipped Wings Can Fly

_**Author's Note:** This chapter is dedicated to my boyfriend, Shad. For putting up with my distractions, my insanity, and for giving me the push I needed when I couldn't figure out how to say what I needed to say in this chapter. _

**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended. 

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 5   
Clipped Wings Can Fly 

-

Mai moaned lowly as she was jostled about. The Namek had been unconscious for five, maybe ten, minutes. Blood still seeped out of some of her wounds and her green skin was blotched with purple hued bruises. She shivered, clutching to her support a little tighter as icy fingers lifted her dress and skimmed underneath. 

_Damn it, damn it, damn it! _Brussi swore inside her mind. _Damn fool, should have knocked you out the second you suggested going back. Stupid... idiotic... If we live through this brat, I think I'll smack some sense into that bald head._

Brussi gripped Mai's forearms tighter, ignoring the incessant chill wind that fluttered her dress and hair. The Saiyan had her friend slung on her back, the other woman's slim arms draped around her neck. Mai's legs dangled since she was still too far gone to wrap them around Brussi's waist. Which Brussi decided was for the best anyway. She wanted to be able to drop the Namek quickly if she had to fight. 

Right now, she concentrated on moving about the garden. The rebels had moved farther into the palace itself, leaving few behind outside. The guards, more concerned with protecting the Emperor and his court, had followed. The fire still raged in the outer terraces. Smoke coiled and crept through the landscape, obscuring the grounds. 

It would have been perfect if her friend hadn't gotten herself half killed. Brussi grunted and shifted Mai's weight a little. She peered through the wafting smoke, trying to get her bearings. She knew where she wanted to go. 

Brussi grinned as she spotted the outer corner of the west wing. Crouching and moving as fast and quietly as possible with the extra load, she approached it. She skirted the large boulders that had once been part of the palace walls. Sharp pebbles cut through the soft soled slippers she was wearing but the cold seeping from the autumn earth numbed her feet. 

Neither slowed her down. She was too intent on making their escape a reality. Brussi sidled up against a mass of crumbled stone. Peeking around it, she sighted her goal through the trees. 

A complex of sturdy metal buildings and a large square of hardened pavement nearly shimmered in the bright light that illuminated them. A few ships still sat on the tarmac, probably having arrived a short time before the rebels attacked. 

Mai moaned again, louder, and began to move a little. Brussi glanced back, then eased the injured woman down. Mai slumped back. Her head rolled onto her shoulder but she didn't fall over. Her body leaned on the cold, stone wall behind. 

Brussi crouched in front of Mai and lightly slapped the other's face. She frowned, concerned, and said, "Hey, I'd appreciate it if you woke up from your nap and moved your own butt around." 

"Uhh..." Mai's eye's opened slowly. Her pupils were unfocused. She squinted at Brussi, her breathing shallow and hitched. Her voice croaked, "Bru... Brussi...?" 

Mai frowned. Cold currents of air kept brushing against her skin. Her back rested against a hard chilly surface. Her mouth was dry, tasted of dust and metal. A thousand little patches, lines and pinpricks burned over her torso and arms and her head throbbed terribly. Only her legs were blissfully free of pain. 

Brussi put a finger under Mai's chin and lifted. Staring into the woman's eyes, she stated, "Feh... you're brains are scrambled, aren't they? Figures. As many times as you bashed your head on the way down the stairs, I'm surprised you're awake at all." 

"Mmh..?" Mai's face reflected sleepy confusion. Her eyelids began to slip downward again. 

"Grrrr... no you don't!" Brussi grabbed Mai's shoulders and shook her. The Namek's head bobbed a little, before it stabilized and a light scowl settled on her face. 

"I... don't think... sh-shaking me is... going to help," Mai said hesitantly. Her face scrunched up in a miserable expression. "Unless you want me to throw up on you." 

"Well, it would be something," Brussi retorted. She released her grip on Mai's shoulders and nodded in satisfaction when the other didn't sway or threaten to topple over. The concerned look was whisked away, replaced by one more serious and hard. "We're making our escape, Mai. Remember?" 

Mai dipped her head once, not sure she wanted to risk moving it more than that. Nausea was making the rounds in her gut while vertigo was sweeping through her brain. She raised a shaky hand, pressing it against her forehead. "Where... where are we?" 

"In the gardens, just on the corner of the west wing, south side," Brussi answered. 

Mai blinked, a bit dumbfounded. That meant the Saiyan had transported her halfway through the spacious gardens. On a decently foggy day, the outer wall of that wing couldn't even be seen from where the harem usually exited into the grounds. 

"You... you car..." 

"Yeah, yeah," Brussi cut in, impatiently waving a hand. "What was I gonna do? Leave you to bleed all over Seisan's fine tile floor? Besides, I'm in enough trouble for killing those rebels. If I left you, they'd think that was me as well. Both the pig Seisan and the rebels would have me executed for killing you and escaping. Except the rebels would want my head more for their guards." 

Brussi grinned, completely unrepentant for her crime. Mai chuckled a bit. Almost immediately, though, she groaned through clenched teeth and clutched her right side. 

The grin dropped from Brussi's face. She stood up quickly. "We have to keep going, Mai. Come on." 

She reached down and curled her fingers around Mai's upper arm, ready to haul her friend to her feet. The shocked look on Mai's face stalled her. 

"Brussi..." The name slipped out in a frightened whisper. A bubble of shiny purple pushed out of the corner of Mai's mouth, then stretched itself into a thin ribbon, traveling down to a quivering chin. "Brussi... I can't walk... I can't feel my legs..." 

"What?" Brussi glared down at Mai, looking as if the Namek was trying to pull a prank she didn't appreciate. "Can't you heal that?" 

"I... I don't know." Mai closed her eyes. She concentrated and probed her body, mentally assessing the damage that had been done to her spine and nerves. 

It wasn't good. The bones were cracked almost all the way up to her ribcage. It was shattered near the hips, the spinal cord was completely severed there. Several bone fragments were scattered through her body, cutting into muscle and organ. One had pierced her a lung when she had laughed. 

She bit her lower lip and shivered. She didn't have the experience to deal with this! None of the women had come back with anything approaching this. Broken bones, yes, even some nerve damage but... These injuries plus her others with her current fatigue... Mai didn't think she could heal it quickly. 

Mai swallowed the lump of panic in her throat. She could sense Brussi's growing nervousness. They had spent too long already in one spot. She forced her voice to be steady when she spoke again. "I can heal it. But I need time and rest." 

Brussi crouched back down quickly and hissed, "We don't have time, Mai!" 

Mai chewed her lip silently. The longing to escape, to rejoin her people was flowing through her. She wanted it so badly. And if she didn't get out now there was no knowing when another chance might come... if at all. 

She raised her eyes and looked at Brussi. The Saiyan was bruised and cut from taking the brunt of the explosion earlier. She didn't seem tired, though she had carried Mai a good distance already. But Mai could sense her tension. 

Brussi was slowing her own escape by carrying her. She had to walk instead of run, hide instead of fight. Mai had no doubts that the woman would be long gone if she had been on her own. 

Mai's expression softened and she smiled wryly. "I know. You'll have to go it alone." 

Brussi's hand flew out and grabbed Mai's throat. Her fingers bit into the Namek's flesh. Mai choked a bit as the vice like grip promised to cut off her air supply. She gazed wildly at the Saiyan. She knew she couldn't break the hold. 

"Damn it, Mai!" Brussi's face hardened into a cold mask, her black eyes glinted like chips of polished stone. She squeezed her fingers a little. "If you can't make it, I'll have to kill you and I don't have the ability to make it very quick unless I snap your neck. Even then, I can't promise you won't feel anything. And I didn't drag your ass halfway around the palace grounds just to leave your corpse here!" 

Mai could only respond with a gurgle. Darkness was rapidly gathering on the edges of her vision. She hadn't expected this sort of response and she wasn't sure she cared to die at Brussi's hands if she was going to die at all. Instinct started clawing it's way through her fading consciousness... 

Suddenly, Brussi's hand let go. Mai rocked forward and sucked in a wheezing breath. Coughs shook her upper body as she tried to take in much needed air. Spittle and blood from her wounded lung collected on her lips. She rubbed a trembling hand over her bruised throat. 

"_Chae! Fakk!_" Brussi cursed, grabbing Mai's forearms again. She turned, draping the limbs over her shoulders and pulled, dragging Mai onto her back again. The Saiyan pushed herself upright. She sighed and commanded roughly, "Hang on, brat. Though don't go screaming if I dump you on the ground. I might have to if there are any rebels or guards around." 

"Uhnn..." The aches in Mai's body collected into one, all over throbbing. The darkness receded but her vision remained blurry and a fog settled back over her mind. She couldn't tell where her legs were. She wondered absently if they would stay out of Brussi's way. The thought that her friend might think it necessary to rip them off wasn't a pleasant one. 

Brussi tensed, then began to creep around the boulder that had sheltered them. The wind had picked up and was colder now. The rock had kept it from chilling them before. Brussi suppressed a shudder. Her breath formed misty trails as she slinked along the western wall. 

A steady _crunch crunch_ of boots on fallen leaves caused her to duck behind a sphere shaped bush. The leaves were too dense to peek through, so she cocked her head in an attempt to track the movement by ear. The owner of the boots approached the bush and halted on the other side. 

Brussi ground her teeth silently, waiting. 

There was a shout off in the distance. She nearly dumped Mai on the ground as the boots shuffled on the other side. But the boot wearer yelled back at the other, then clopped away at a run. 

Whatever the alarm was, it wasn't the Saiyan and her injured Namek friend. Brussi quietly let out the breath she held. She was confident enough that she could beat any stray guards or rebels that came between her and her goal. But she couldn't deny that if an alarm was raised, she wouldn't be able to fend off whole squads if they were sent. 

Brussi gnashed her teeth. This skulking around didn't sit well. Even with Mai's presence, she shouldn't have to be so... sneaky. If anything, she should be able to charge through, blasting anyone who gets in her way. But no... the war gods were up there somewhere laughing at her. Snickering because she couldn't. Because all she had were her hands and feet to fight. And the palace guards at least were armored and had weapons capable of punching a whole through someone's chest. 

_Damn it! _Brussi cursed again in her head. She let go of one of Mai's arms, leaning forward a little so her friend wouldn't slip off. Raising her empty hand, she concentrated, staring at the palm intently. A tingle, almost an itch, centered itself on the skin... but nothing happened. 

Brussi growled low in her throat as the sensation slipped away. She clenched her hand into a fist, wanting to punch a hole through something. 

_Why can't I do it? WHY?_

The Saiyan took hold of Mai's arm again. She tightened her grip and tried to calm the rage inside her. She didn't understand this weakness... this lack. Brussi let out an aggravated breath. Still, she did have her hands and feet. She would use them as best she could. She just wished she could send out a few blasts to even the odds if she needed. 

Brussi shook her head, banishing the thoughts. It wasn't the time to brood on failures. She had to get to one of those ships. 

She slipped out from behind the bush. Scanning the area, she checked for anymore rebel or guard patrols. The grounds were fairly quiet, only the crackle of the dying fire still drifted on the wind. Noise of the battle had diminished greatly. Possibly the winner had already been decided. 

That thought started Brussi's feet moving. She needed every distraction she could get if she was going to succeed in this. No better one than having the people you were avoiding busy with fighting each other. 

The Saiyan quickly stepped from shelter to shelter. Crouching behind strange shaped bushes and pressing against trunks of fruit trees. Mai moaned a few times, setting Brussi's teeth on edge. Luckily, there seemed to be no one around to hear when it happened. She wished her friend would either pass out again or wake up enough to keep her noises to herself. She did consider knocking Mai out... briefly. 

Brussi wasn't sure how much more the Namek could take and she honestly didn't want to kill her. So she hefted the body along, hoping Mai would be quiet. 

Minutes passed as she flit around, working her way steadily towards the private ship port. A nervous sweat broke out her brow. This was taking far longer than she had planned on. She reached the edge of the pavement that covered the area. With a quick look around, she made a break for the nearest ship. 

Brussi's feet thudded dully on the cement. She grimaced and kept going, though each footfall seemed to echo in her ears. _Hurry, hurry, hurry._

The woman came to a halt in the scant shadow of the ship. She swept her gaze over the grounds she had left and tilted her head. No alarms, no shouting. It didn't seem she had been seen. She wasn't going to question the good fortune that the rebels appeared to have enough numbers to draw off the normal guards but not enough to leave their own in place. 

She grinned and turned her attention to the ship. She examined the outer hull, which was black in most places with yellow supports on the outside. It was vaguely familiar... 

Brussi chased down the impression in her mind. The images of a black pit of a place came to her. She remembered it had been filled with rusted hulks and thick smoke from smelting fires. Her nose twitched at the memory of the stench that nearly suffocated anyone stuck there. It had been a ship graveyard, dedicated to cannibalizing wrecks and selling off any usable parts to those who couldn't afford to buy new. To think she had considered her transport from Bukisei to Dokusei as an improvement. 

_Heh... guess some are still fools at fourteen, _she thought to herself. 

Finally, the relevant information came to her. It was an Aisu-jin built ship. 

Brussi frowned. That meant the ship might not have any weapons. It also meant that an Aisu-jin might be present in the palace. 

"Feh." She pushed aside the concern. Before her parents had been killed, they had told her about the alliance between Saiyans and the Planet Trade. Surely, if her people were still working with Frieza, he'd understand the theft. That is, if the ship didn't belong to him personally. But it was smaller than she thought he would use himself, so it didn't matter. She wasn't about to stick around and ask for clearance. 

The Saiyan continued to examine the hull, following the curve of the ship until she discerned where the entry was. She lowered Mai to the ground. The Namek groaned and raised her head a little. The older woman signaled for her to keep quiet. 

Brussi flipped open a hidden cover and tapped the control panel, her brows drawn together. Her memories were faded, blurred by time. She hadn't had much training in this. Lowly yard slaves like her weren't given a lot of knowledge that might possibly be used against their masters. Then again, old Nobe was a lazy bastard and preferred to sit around drinking and trying to swindle more money from his customers than dealing with the dirty work. 

The panel flashed "Clearance Denied" for several seconds as she worked. She was about to see what a well placed punch would do when the release on the hatch clicked and hissed. 

"Hah!" Brussi smiled again. "That old override code still works. Some people have no sense of security maintenance." 

Mai didn't comment. Still lost in a world that kept shifting and wobbling, she used most of her concentration just to keep awake. She moaned again when Brussi dragged her up again. The Saiyan scowled but didn't scold her. 

"Hang on," Brussi commanded. "We'll be out of here before you know it!" 

Then, she practically bounced up the ramp, causing Mai's stomach to do flips. The Namek clenched her teeth. She kept both the moan and the rising bile from spilling out. 

Brussi hit the "close and lock" panel and smiled even more as the ramp retracted and the entry sealed the ship from attack. The basic commands for the ship were coming back to her now. Most of them should have an option for Common, the language that got used most between disparate space traveling species. 

She strode to the cockpit area, glancing at the command panel. Luck was with her! The idiot who used the ship had left the computer running on standby _and _had kept the command functions in Common. Brussi chuckled as she settled Mai in one of the pilot chairs. 

"You can always count on someone being too caught up in their own convenience," she stated. Mai focused her eyes on the Saiyan as the safety belts were fastened around her. 

"Brussi..." Mai's voice cracked. Her throat felt completely dry and pain still tugged at the edges of her mind. A fog clouded her thoughts, but something was troubling her. If they left, what would happen to the others? They should go back and try to convince the others to come. 

"No time for talk, Mai," commented the Saiyan brusquely. "We have to get this tin can off the ground before one party or the other is in control." 

Mai lifted a hand and weakly held onto Brussi's arm. Her eyes were half closed. "Brussi... we can't go without them... Help me convince them to come." 

"Eh?" Brussi stared at Mai, wondering if the blow to the green one's head had caused permanent damage. She bit out, "You tried that, remember? Got you several knocks in the head and bruises all over. Not to mention your legs are useless." 

Mai began to struggle against the restraints. Her face flushed and her lifeless feet flopped on the deck. She tried to pull the buckles loose. Guilt was building fast inside her. She couldn't leave. Not now. Not without them! It was her fault that they were too frightened to listen! They would die here! 

"Brussi, please!" Mai cried, pleaded to be released. "It's my fault... if I hadn't attacked Dorei... gods, we can't leave them!" 

"Stop it!" Brussi demanded, her hands gripped Mai's shoulders hard, causing the woman to cry out more. "You're going to cause yourself more injury! Those fools made their decision. We have to go now!" 

Mai shook her head, continuing to struggle, tears coursing down her face. "_NO!_" 

"Eeegh!" Brussi face contorted with disgust. She brought her hand up and sent the edge of it flying into the valley of Mai's neck and shoulder. The Namek slumped in the chair, her struggling ceased. The Saiyan took a deep breath. "I'm going to pretend that little episode was madness induced by pain, brat. Now let's get this damn ship off the ground." 

Brussi swung herself into the captain's chair. With quick, confident movements she strapped in. She swiveled the chair to face the command panel. She assessed, as best she could, the readiness of the vehicle. All the gauges and levels seemed to be in the normal zone. 

"Well, then, let's go!" Brussi punched in the codes for launch, grateful that she didn't have to do much manually. She just told the computer what to do or where to go and it plotted the best course. Grinning, she also noted a section labeled "weapons." That made her feel a hell of a lot better. 

An Aisu-jin brand arsenal should get them places. She tweaked a few of the controls there, testing for battle readiness. The ship shuddered and creaked as it lifted off from the port. 

_Maybe the war gods are finally on my side_, she thought. 

A new, more violent shudder broke into that musing. A boom thundered through the cockpit and the ship listed. Brussi gripped the edge of the command panel. 

_So much for favoritism..._


	6. Pigeon Hunt

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 6   
Pigeon Hunt  


-

Brussi swore as the ship shuddered again. Her fingers flew over the controls, trying to bring up an outside view. She frantically scanned the array for the commands she needed. Finally, one of the screens in front of her flickered on. There was a few seconds of static, then it cleared to show the ground below. 

The private ship port receded quickly as the ship gained altitude. A few blue-white energy bolts sped out from a ground mounted cannon. She didn't know whether they were being shot at by rebels or the palace guard and figured they would be just as dead either way if it continued. Metal groaned each time a blast struck and the screen flickered. 

Brussi scanned the panel again and spotted the shield controls. She pressed in the start code, then ramped up the energy output. The engines whined a bit as the new demand drew off the necessary juice. 

A definite hum built up in the air. The view screen flickered again as the shields snapped into place. An energy bolt cut through the thinning atmosphere and collided with the newly erected barrier. 

"Gah!" Brussi swung on arm up to cover her eyes as the monitor relayed the brilliant explosion. The ship shook but not as violently as before. Brussi lowered her arm and blinked, trying to rid her vision of the black spots dancing before her. 

She hadn't quite succeeded when another, stronger quake gripped the vessel. 

"_Now what?_" Brussi rubbed her eyes with a fisted hand and tried to bring up more views from outside with the other. They should have been out of close range of the ground cannon. Sweat began to dot her brows as she pushed down a rising panic. 

Other view screens popped on in response to her commands. She glanced at each of them, taking in the situation. Two small ships were following them. The vessels were long and angular, the shiny silver surface on each carried a royal blue snake outline. The designs were distinctly of Emperor Seisan's palace guard. 

Brussi had no time to voice her opinion of the new development. The nearest ship let loose a volley of blue-white blasts. The first few struck, causing the escaping vessel to pitch to one side. The others missed their target due to the variance. 

Brussi could feel the blood drain from her face. Fear was clogging her throat, making it hard to breath. She didn't have the training... 

Another few blasts hit. The ship rocked under the assault. Brussi's body was thrown against the restraints, then slammed back into the seat. Her breath was forced out from the impact. Mai cried out as her injured body was also rammed backwards. 

Brussi flicked her gaze over to the Namek. New streamers of purple blood sprouted from Mai's mouth. The delicate features of her face were drawn tight with renewed pain. 

"Aaaagh!" Rage burned away the fear that had wormed its way into the older woman. 

The Saiyan cursed fickle fate and stabbed at the command panel. The ship kept trying to return to the course it had plotted automatically. Brussi slapped the override button. The auto pilot would just make the ship easy to track. She could only hope she knew enough about guiding the vessel that she wouldn't send them careening into an asteroid or the other ships as she tried to evade the onslaught. 

She quickly pressed a few buttons, bringing up a defensive display. The computer showed a grid of the nearby space. A yellow triangle pursued by red ones glided across a black background. Another section of the screen displayed the ship with colored outline. One part of the outline flashed red while others alternated from yellow to white. 

The realization that red meant the shields in that area were close to failing sent Brussi's mind into fast planning mode. She watched as the computer visually reported more oncoming attacks. Punching in coordinates, she managed to avoid three of the four bolts. The last one still struck dead on to the weakest part of the barrier. 

Brussi was whipped back and forth again. She grimaced as her torso began to ache from the abuse. The illumination in the cockpit faltered, then returned to its original brightness. A low, drawn out groaning vibrated through the metal flooring and into her feet. 

_We can't go on like this. _A determined expression settled on Brussi's face. Reaching over to the shield controls, she cut the power to the failing section of the barrier and divided it between the engines and the weapons. Next, she input a change in course. The ship banked sharply, arching back to the planet they had left behind. 

Brussi pushed the engines, using the extra energy to speed the ship along. She kept an eye on their pursuers. 

The guard ships, apparently not expecting such a drastic course change, weren't quite as quick to bring their ships around. One guard brought his ship into a wide turn, following Brussi. The other banked his ship the other way. His course would bring him head on with the stolen vessel. 

The following guard fired again. A blast grazed the unprotected portion of Brussi's ship. The fleeing vessel bucked from the impact, a shock wave rumbled through its interior. The images on the screens wavered and the lights cut out for a second. A few sparks emitted from one of the unused panels. Part of the weapons panel flashed red. 

Brussi shook her fist at her pursuer, wishing she could deliver a few words personally to his face as well as a few punches. She increased the power to the engines. The persistent whine rose an octave, making her ears ring. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mai cringe. 

_Well, at least the brat isn't dead from being thrown around yet._ The Saiyan concentrated on the grid display. She gauged the distance between herself and the guard ships. Both of them had about completed their maneuvers She had to time this right. Tapping the buttons, she commanded the computer to lock on to one of the ships. 

Her fingers twitched as she held them ready to punch in the fire code. 

_Closer... _

Closer... 

Now! 

Brussi jabbed in the command. The forward canons fired into the oncoming ship. Pure white beams ripped through the guard's shields and slammed into the hull. Metal and glass exploded, consumed by a vaporous plasma cloud. 

The Aisu-jin ship plowed through the remains of the obliterated guard ship. Some of the debris trailed after it, forming a fiery tail. Brussi pulsed the landing rockets. Normally, they wouldn't be used outside an atmosphere but she needed to spin the ship quickly. The last impact had disabled the rear weapons. She had to get the undamaged side canons lined up. 

Inertia tugged Brussi's innards and for a moment caused the blood to rush out of her head. She shook off the wooziness. Glaring at the defense display, she forced her shaky fingers to command a lock on of the remaining ship. 

The enemy burst through the spreading debris of its partner. Brussi punched in the fire code. 

_Shit!_

The shot went wide, the computer lagging too much to compensate for the spin of the ship. The blast didn't even scratch the guard. 

Brussi rushed to get another lock, her fingers dancing over the controls. But it was too late. The guard shot another round of blue-white bolts, causing the ship to roll. The combined inertia flipped it around. The unprotected rear of the ship became exposed again. 

Another volley tore into the Aisu-jin vessel. The sound of rending and buckling metal screamed through the air. Sparks flew as excess energy surged through the wiring, shorting out various components. The lights flashed and thin, stinging smoke curled around the cockpit. 

Brussi choked as she inhaled the noxious fumes. Breathing heavily through her nose, she peered at the display again. The ship was still spinning some. If the damned guard would hold off for a few seconds more... 

The vessel rocked again. Darkness engulfed the room as the lights went out. Two of the screens also blipped out, while another two showed static. The Saiyan looked down at her controls. 

Brussi burned the air with a venomous string of swears. 

The vile ship had reverted to the Aisu-jin language! The woman stared at the panel, her face twitching with fury. Her fists clenched hard and her knuckles threatened to pop from the strain. 

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHH!_" She pounded her fists onto the treacherous surface. The panel dented, then cracked as she continued to vent her bitterness and wrath. The sounds of her tantrum echoed off the walls. 

A movement on one of the remaining screens drew her attention. She watched as the guard ship approached. She growled and raised her fist. She was about to drive her hand through the monitor when the guard slowed, then pulled up to the side of her ship. 

Brussi blinked. She placed her palms onto the ruined panel and leaned as far forward as the restraints would allow. 

What were they...? 

A grin slowly spread on the Saiyan's face. She chuckled as a short tube extended from the hatch of the guard ship and latched onto the outside of her vessel. A distant _clank_ followed a second later. Soon, a sizzling, zapping noise floated through the air. 

Brussi leaned back and began to undo the buckles on her straps. She licked her lips, tasting salty sweat and the acrid smoke still wafting about. She stood and stretched. Wiping her hand over her face, she noted they were covered in blood and cuts from her attack on the command panel. 

Brussi shrugged and walked over to where Mai was still strapped in her chair. Bending down a little, she turned her friend's face toward the little bit of flickering light coming from the view screens. 

The Namek was still breathing, though a bit shallowly. Her expression was touched with pain but mostly relaxed. Brussi gripped the chin. She shook Mai's head a little. 

"Mai? Mai, I have to leave you here," Brussi explained in a curt voice. "A guard followed us in his ship. But the fool is boarding. I'm going to go give him a warm welcome." 

Mai's eyelids fluttered, but she didn't respond otherwise. Brussi let go of her chin. She didn't know if her friend heard or understood. She supposed it didn't matter. The woman was too injured to defend herself. 

Brussi considered whether she should end it now for Mai. 

_Better for you to die here,_ she thought_, then be taken back. Though I don't know if Seisan would want you in this condition._

A sigh slipped through Mai's cracked and bloody lips. She didn't appear to be bleeding anymore, the trails of purple drying into a darker hue. Her legs still dangled, more limp than even the most unconscious are capable of. 

A faint shudder rippled through the floor. Brussi tilted her head but couldn't hear anything aside from the crackling and sparking from the damaged components. Then, a red light flashed and a garbled voice full of pauses and clicks announced something over the intercom. She guessed that meant the guard had gotten through the hull. 

Brussi glanced back down at Mai. 

No... no, if she did kill Mai she was admitting defeat. The Namek had said given time and rest she would heal. Brussi intended to make sure she got both. 

Turning on her heel, Brussi strode toward the cockpit door. She gave the panel sharp taps. The door opened silently. Setting the door to lock after her, she stepped out into the corridor. 

There was a little more illumination in the hallway. Some lights flickered, others were dim or out completely. But there was enough to see by. Black smoke crawled along the floor and a paler gray mist drifted closer to the ceiling. 

Brussi scowled. The clouds would give away her movement and there wasn't enough of it to use as cover. They also made it a little hard to breathe. She tore a long piece from the hem of her tattered dress. Folding it over a few times, she tied the makeshift mask over her nose and mouth. 

The fabric was dirty and smelled of mud and blood. Moisture from her breath mingled with the filth, increasing the stench. She resisted ripping the stuffy cloth off. It was better than breathing in whatever was leaking into the air. 

Tensing her muscles, Brussi pushed the thoughts from her mind. She concentrated on the sounds around her and watched the swirling of the smoke. She walked forward carefully, placing each foot down as quietly as possible. 

The Saiyan continued this way, picking her way through the ship. Every step she was mindful that there might be something the smoke prevented her from seeing. She observed the smoke patterns and avoided most of the obstacles. Once, she did step down onto a sharp piece of metal. She bit her lip and quelled even the slightest grunt from escaping. 

Blood flowed out of the wound but she didn't dare stop to bandage it. She favored the foot slightly, aware that until the bleeding stopped, it would be slick and unstable. 

A slight noise ahead caught her attention. She scanned the corridor for the source. A broken pipe vented some sort of billowing white fumes into the atmosphere. The heavy mist streamed down from ceiling to floor, cooling the air, then spread out over the black smoke that clung to the floor. 

The black smoke eddied where the two met. Brussi cocked her head and moved forward again slowly. She stopped when she saw the matching eddies her legs caused in the ebony blanket. 

Her eyes widened and she dropped onto the ground. A bolt of blue-white flew out of the white column, searing the air where Brussi's midsection had been. A second blast dug a charred crater into the wall behind her. 

Brussi somersaulted, stirring up the smoke as she went. Cool and warm air slipped past her skin as she moved. She dove and flattened onto the chilly metal flooring. Several blasts pierced the mist. They missed by inches. 

Brussi's eyes burned as she stayed down in the cover of the swirling black and white fumes. Tears streamed down her face but she resisted rubbing them away. Her simple cloth mask couldn't keep out all of the pollution in the air. She felt a little dizzy, not getting quite enough oxygen. 

She rolled sideways quickly until she hit the legs of her attacker, then swung her own leg up, crushing the guard's kneecap. A howl of pain reverberated in the smoke. Brussi didn't hesitate. She hooked her foot behind the wounded knee and pushed. The guard toppled over with another wail. A dull _thud_ followed and something clattered and skidded on the floor. 

Brussi slipped from under the guard's legs and turned onto her stomach. She ignored her blurry vision, the churning clouds alternating in various grays with white and black. A cold mass of white flowed over her. Pushing into a crouch, she leapt forward. She aimed for approximately his chest. She didn't want to overshoot and miss his head if she went for that. Her fist burrowed into his side. 

The guard swore and swung out with his own fist. The smoke eddied violently, the thick air muting the _rustle snap_ of his shirt sleeve. Brussi jerked her head aside. His strike grazed her cheek. She grabbed his arm as it sailed over her shoulder. Switching to a kneeling position, she brought the arm down in a sharp motion. The bone gave as the arm was bent over her thigh. 

A pained gurgle emanated from the gray black swirl of smoke. Brussi used the arm to pull the man forward, nearly folding him in half. She released the arm and rushed behind him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, grabbing onto the back of his head with one hand and onto his shoulder with the other. The smell of salty sweat and dust permeated her mask. 

"Me-mercy!" a wheezy voice begged, sounding strangely muffled. There was a slight fingernail on metal noise. _Scritch scritch scritch._

Brussi curled her lip in disgust. She responded in a voice of ice and stone, "Saiyans don't grant mercy." 

She jerked the hand holding on to his head. 

Silence followed the audible _snap._ Brussi released the limp body, moving from behind the guard. She stood, then reached down and grasped the collar of the uniform. Hauling the man into the light at last, she studied her opponent. 

She blinked in surprise. It wasn't a guard at all. The man's shaggy blond hair tumbled over his collar. His face was gaunt, with fine lines radiating from the corners of his eyes. A breath mask hid much of his nose and mouth. A scruffy, days old beard covered his chin. He wore a dirty, torn beige jacket over and equally dirty, torn black shirt. There were navy arm bands around his upper arms. 

"Feh." Brussi slung the man over her shoulder. The rebel idiot had probably chased them down because he thought they were an escaping dignitary. She wasn't sure why he wanted them alive. Maybe he had hoped for a ransom or reward. 

She shrugged at the thought, not really interested in his reasons. She shifted the weight a bit and stepped forward. Her foot brushed against something. The thing made a grating sound as it moved. 

Brussi bent over carefully and picked the object up. The dim light glinted off a shiny black barrel. She turned the gun over, inspecting it. It was a bit grimy but didn't seem the worse for its recent usage. A little gauge on the back of the handle showed green. 

She assumed that meant it was fully charged. _Good. If I can't use ki might as well have the next best thing._

She kept the weapon in hand as she resumed walking down the corridor. The guard ships barely had room enough for one person, so she didn't have to worry about anyone else attacking. Her main concern now was to dump the body, raid the guard ship for any other items, then cut it loose. 

_Then,_ Brussi thought, _I can see about repairing this wreck. Never thought the lessons from old Nobe would come in handy._

Brussi chuckled and started humming an old war song her father had once taught her. 


	7. Mourning Dove Dreams

_**Author's Notes:** I'm apologizing in advance for this chapter and the next. I struggled a bit with this one, words just weren't coming to me. Necessary exposition and stuff, probably not too thrilling._

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 7   
Mourning Dove Dreams 

-

Warm, spring sunlight filtered through the leaves above, casting lazy shadows that shifted as a gentle breeze moved the boughs. A tall figure strolled between the trees. Its emerald skin was dappled by light and shade. Soft rustling accompanied each of its steps as the white robe it wore swept against the grass. The soft moccasins it wore muffled every footfall. 

The figure stopped before a scraggly bush with small blue berries. A gaunt, long fingered hand reached out and plucked some of the fruit, placing each with great care into a woven basket already half filled with other plant matter. Its eyes, framed by deep wrinkles, gazed at the plant with a distant sort of sadness. 

"Not doing so well this year, hm?" the figure asked in slightly raspy voice. The words flowed out in an alien language full of purring Rs and Ps. The thin fingers quit their picking task, changing to stroking the scant yellowed foliage of the bush. "Time does get away from us, doesn't it? I have seen you grow from seed to stripling to blossoming youth. Now, you struggle to produce a few last seeds of your own to spread." 

The bush didn't deign to answer, instead ruffling its leaves in the wind, perhaps offended by someone pointing out its age. 

The tall green figure chuckled. Smiling, it admitted, "Oh, I know. I don't look much better." 

It brought the stroking hand up to its face and traced the deep lines that carved into the leathery skin. The antennae on its forehead dropped a bit, looking themselves like withered stems. 

The figure sighed, stirring a few leaves on its bush friend. "We can't stop time, can we? We can only try to bring our children to a place where they can grow strong and safe." 

The sadness in the green figure's eyes sharpened at the thought. It blinked away gathering tears. It was an old wound and one it couldn't heal fully. It sighed again, not wanting to spend more time on a dream that was fated to remain a dream. 

"_Mida! Mida!_" Another voice called from somewhere among the trees, the full alto of its tone adding the music of youth to the air and sweeping the sadness from the figure's eyes. 

The tall figure smiled again and strolled toward the new voice. It carefully pushed aside a thin branch, stepping out into a small clearing among the trees. It questioned, "And what have you found, Maimai, that warrants such a loud summons?" 

The wizened face tried to look stern and failed, its dark pupils twinkling with humor. It gazed down at a figure kneeling beside some large flowers. A younger version of itself was busy examining the plants. The young one's slender frame was bent over the blooms, nose buried in the supple violet petals. The iridescent color shimmered in the sunlight. A delicate featured face turned from the blossoms to look at the tall figure. 

The youth grinned, showing pearly fangs. "Aren't they beautiful, _Mida_? I've never seen them before!" 

The figure smiled gently. Coming a little closer, it looked over the shape of the petals and leaves. The older one didn't want to kneel down as its knees had begun to ache within the last year or so. If it got down, it might not get back up without a few grunts and some assistance. And there was something to be said for wanting a little dignity. 

"Ahh... I've seen them once or twice in my life," the figure said. "They are so rare even the natives of this planet have no name for them." 

"Rare?" The youth studied the flowers again with a thoughtful expression. Then it grinned more. "Then we should call them Reas. Like you!" 

Rea chuckled at the suggestion. "Daughter, you have strange ideas." 

Maimai frowned and shrugged. She continued, "But you are rare. And a wonderful example of the Namek female gender." 

The youth added a decisive nod for emphasis. 

Rea pursed her lips to keep from chuckling again. She thought she more closely resembled an old oak tree than she did a flower fresh from its bud. She shook her head. "Thank you, but I think we should leave the naming to the planet's people." 

She stroked the top of her daughter's head, then moved away a little. Her face lost some of its humor as she said, "We should be moving on, Maimai. We can't afford to linger if we're going to take advantage of the early harvest available. Not much is left from winter and there is also planting to do." 

Maimai leaned over for one last sniff of the flowers, then stood and brushed at the grass stains on her robe. She didn't mind the harvesting and planting, it gave them something to fill their days with. She did wonder if any mushrooms would be ready to be picked. 

"_Mida, _Do you think-" 

A thin, blue-white bolt zipped from between the trees and struck Rea hard in the shoulder. The carefully packed basket she carried tumbled out of her arms, spilling it contents onto the warmed ground. The old Namek grunted in pain. She stumbled onto her knees, clutching her wounded arm. 

"_Mida!_" Maimai rushed to her mother's side. Her eyes widened at the sight of the purple blood seeping between the other's thin fingers. Her voice rose in panic, "_Mida! Mida,_ are you ok? What happened?" 

Rea pushed Maimai away, her bloodied hand leaving dark stains on the white fabric of her daughter's robe. She commanded hoarsely, "Maimai, run! Run fast! Now!" 

Maimai shook her head frantically. She wasn't sure what it was that had struck her mother down, but she didn't want to leave. Not when Rea was injured. The youth put her hand over the wound and called on her healing abilities. 

Rea snarled and grabbed the front of Maimai's robe. She used the leverage to force her daughter to lurch towards the trees. "Run!" 

_GO!_ The order shot through Maimai's mind, transmitted telepathically by her mother. Her feet moved of their own will, carrying her to the edge of the clearing. She hesitated as she reached the first tree. Looking back, she watched as Rea groaned and rose shakily. 

Two figures emerged from the spot where the bolt had come from. The word "men" flit through Maimai's mind. They were natives, nearly as tall as Rea, wearing a shiny hard covering over their torsos and brandishing odd sticks in their hands. _Weapons, those are weapons..._

A tremor raced through Maimai. She didn't know if her mother could defend herself against these attackers. Her toughened skin was no match for those energy bolts. And the armor, could she get past that? 

"_Mida!_" Maimai couldn't stop the word from expressing itself. Her feet reversed their earlier course. Pounding along the ground, she raced back toward Rea. 

Rea half-turned, her face twisted with anger and pain. She flung out her hand. The palm faced the youth, fingers curled slightly. _NO! Maimai, RUN!_

Maimai felt as if an invisible hand had sprung up and caught her. Her shoes scraped on the dirt as it forced her back. She struggled against it, her mind pleading with her mother to let her stay and fight. 

Another bolt shot out, streaking from the tip of one of the guns. It slammed into Rea's back. The old Namek cried out and crumpled to the ground. The invisible hand winked out, causing Maimai to stagger a few steps. Sweat trickled down her back. Her heart pounded and her mind was touched by waves of muted agony. She balanced herself, then took a few quick steps. 

A third bolt raced from the gun and buried into Maimai's shoulder. Pain exploded at the impact site, sending fiery tendrils through her chest and arm. A scream echoed among the trees. Her hand came up and clawed at the wound, trying to dig out the fire that settled into the flesh. 

Her chest seized around her lungs. Breathing became rapid, shallow. Vertigo threatened her senses and she pushed it down. 

A roar, feral and maddened rang out. Maimai lifted her head, her vision still a bit wavy from faintness. Shock coursed through her as she saw Rea spring up from grass. 

Her mother's old body moved with lightening speed. The enraged Namek launched herself at one of the men. A clawed hand swiped at him. The man barely raised his arm in time, his armor taking the brunt of the stroke. Talons screeched across the hard surface. 

The second man took quick aim. He blasted the Namek at point blank range. The bolt ripped through her, causing her to jerk backward. Released from his attacker, the other man pointed his weapon at Rea and fired. 

Maimai's mother stumbled back more. She gathered her energy around her, the grass waving in response to the power rippling the air. Another bolt zapped across the expanse. Rea stumbled again. The nearly born force fluttered. Another bolt, then another, dug into her. 

The energy wavered and faded. More bolts riddled the old Namek's body. Finally, she slumped, the building ki fled. Rea fell backward onto the patch of violet flowers. 

Maimai watched her mother fall. Her mind scrambled as she felt the ebbing of the other's consciousness. She desperately reached out and held onto her mother's thoughts. But they slipped away, too nebulous to grasp. There was a flicker of regret within the wordless cloud. Rea's spirit weakened and vanished like an early morning mist. 

_...no... _Maimai's fingers curled into the grass, digging into the rich soil of the clearing. 

_No... _Maimai's slightly open mouth quivered as Rea's purple blood pooled on the ground, forming rivers around the plants. 

_NO! _Maimai's voice howled. Tears streaked down her cheeks and she tore clumps out of the earth beneath her hands. She raised her face to the sky and vented her sorrow and loss. 

A sharp pain burst through the back of her head. An abyss swallowed her so completely, she did not feel it when her body struck the ground. 

A hand shook her roughly. The pain was thankfully gone from her head and shoulder. Mai's eyes flew open and her clawed hand swung out. There was a muttered curse as someone grabbed her wrist. 

"I don't know what sort of nightmare you were having, brat, but you don't get free hits from me." Brussi frowned down at Mai. Her hand gripped the Namek's wrist so that she couldn't bend it enough to use her nails. 

Mai blinked at her friend. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a steadying breath. A dream. It had been a dream... no, a memory. One she wished hadn't decided to pay her a visit. The old sorrow made her heart ache. She shifted a little. Soft sheets rustled under her and the mattress squeaked a bit. 

She opened her eyes again. A barely there breath of air cooled her cheeks, drying the wet trails down her face. Mai licked her lips, suddenly thirsty. "I-I'm sorry, Brussi..." 

The Saiyan released Mai's wrist. The Namek rubbed it, the flesh throbbing a bit from the pressure that had been put on it. "I didn't mean to." 

Brussi shrugged. Whatever the torment was, it had passed and her friend was herself again. She rubbed her ear and complained, "I could hear your screeching half way across the ship. Didn't know you could be so loud." 

Mai gave a lopsided grin. "I'm sorry I disturbed you." 

"Meh." Brussi shrugged again. She pointed her thumb to a glass of water sitting on the nightstand next to the bed. "I was coming anyway." 

Mai nodded. "Thanks, Brussi. I am thirsty." 

The older woman's face flushed a little and she grumbled something under her breath. She placed her hands under Mai's arms, dragging the Namek into a sitting position. She snatched up the water glass, then put it brusquely into Mai's hands. 

"Think you can heal yourself so I don't have to cart around your heavy carcass?" Brussi questioned. 

Mai sipped the water. Her parched throat begged for more, quickly, but she forced herself to go slow. She glanced at Brussi over the rim. She lowered the glass and responded, "Yes, I just need time. A day, maybe more." 

Brussi looked at her askance. "You've been asleep for a day already." 

Mai shook her head. "This sort of healing needs to be guided. My body can regenerate on its own, but it will be slower and doesn't always heal right." 

Brussi grunted. She crossed her arms and nodded. "All right. I'll keep us going until then." 

Mai nodded. She took another sip, then stared at her friend. The Saiyan was wearing some sort of dark body armor. A Doku-jin weapon hung over one of the side thigh pieces and her tail wrapped around the waist like a furry belt. There were ridged tan shoulder guards and another similar flap, though flat, which covered the front below her waist. Blue shorts and strips of red on her left upper arm and thigh completed the outfit. 

"What are you wearing, Brussi?" Mai asked, one eyeridge slightly raised. 

Brussi grinned wide. She thumped her fist on the front of the armor, giving Mai a glimpse of the form fitting article. "It's Saiyan body armor. Resilient and mobile. Perfect for fighting." 

Mai bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't miss the obvious pride in her friend's voice. "Where did you get it?" 

Brussi crossed her arms again, looking a bit disgruntled. "I found it locked away in a display case. A _display case!_" 

The Saiyan made it sound like a crime against the universe. Mai took another sip to keep from laughing. She just nodded again. "Looks... uh... good, strong." 

The grin returned to Brussi's face. "Too bad there was only one. You could use something tougher than that green hide." 

"I think I'll prefer my own robe and vest, once I've got the extra energy to spare in making them," replied Mai with an apologetic smile. 

Brussi tossed her a disbelieving look but didn't pursue the matter. "Get some rest, brat. I'm going to check on our course and raid the food stores. Nothing too appealing in there but better than nothing." 

With that, the Saiyan gave a short wave and left the room. Mai watched Brussi exit through the sliding door, then went back to her water. She would need it for the task ahead. 


	8. Migration Patterns

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 8   
Migration Patterns 

-

"Unh..." Brussi squinted her stinging eyes as sweat dripped down her brows. A long handled tool was clenched between her teeth. The plastic tasted of slimy oil and old grime, but she didn't want to lose the instrument in the tangle of wires and component pieces that littered the cramped space. The sharp smell of ozone filled the stuffy air as electric sparks sizzled. She tugged on two loose wires, twisting them together with her fingers. 

_Zap zap zap!_ Energy arched out of the thin, insulated metal threads and burned her fingertips. More sparks flew into the air as a nearby conduit shorted out. The odor of ozone increased dramatically. 

"_Chae!_" Brussi scrambled backwards as hot blue sparks rained down on her exposed skin. She scooted along the metal floor until she was out of the crawl space under one of the command panels. She cursed again as she stood and flung the tool at the broken panel. The instrument struck the surface with a loud _clank_, then bounced off onto the floor, rolling along until it came to rest in front of the cockpit entrance. 

"How are the repairs going, Brussi?" Mai asked as she stood in the doorway. She raised a hand, levitating the tool off the floor so she wouldn't need to bend down. Her legs were still weak from her injury. They would be all right in another half day but she had grown tired of laying down in bed. 

Brussi turned and scowled at Mai. The Namek's face was perfectly serious except for the slight wrinkle at the corners of her eyes. Brussi wiped her brow with her forearm. She noted her friend had changed her clothes. Mai wore a long sleeved white robe with a light blue belt and a rose vest. Traditional garb, she guessed, though she didn't see the need for so much encumbering fabric or that thing wrapped around Mai's neck. Her nose twitched as an awful smell trickled past her nostrils. 

Mai's eyes widened a little, a strange expression on her face. She pointed to the top of the Saiyan's head. "Brussi, I think your hair is smoking!" 

"What?" Brussi's hands flew up and patted her hair. The awful smell increased as she rubbed. The older woman turned and glared at her reflection in one of the dark view screens. Thin wisps of smoke were indeed coming off some of the spikes. She rubbed and patted more vigorously until the streamers ceased. 

Mai covered her mouth with a hand. Brussi's worried frown was clearly displayed in her reflection. The Saiyan was silent as she ran her fingers through the damaged locks, tilting her head one way, then the other, searching for any more signs of smoldering. 

Mai averted her eyes, allowing her friend to assess the harm done in private. She was sure Brussi would be embarrassed if she was watched. After a moment, she asked, "Where are we headed?" 

Brussi abandoned her task, she faced Mai again and crossed her arms. "I have us set on a course for Vegetasei. We should get there soon if this piece of junk doesn't short out it's engines." 

"That's your people's home world, isn't it?" Mai asked as she looked at her friend. She wasn't quite sure how comfortable she was with the idea of a planet full of people like Brussi. 

Her friend nodded curtly, then grinned. She leaned back against the edge of the command panel. "We'll be able to see the great Wasabi Coliseum. My father was descended from the warrior it's named for. That legend fought and killed a thousand enemies in one day." 

"Uh... that's... something," Mai managed to comment. She fiddled with the hems of her sleeves, trying to think of more to say, but Brussi continued. 

"They hold tournaments there. Great battles, one on one, teams, free for alls! My parents told me of the honor a warrior can get from winning! A lot of the soldiers will enter if they aren't off-world..." 

The Saiyan's words trailed off. A flicker of confusion and concern crossed her face. Then she shrugged, turning back to the panel. "If we're lucky enough, we might even see King Vegeta himself at one of the events." 

Mai wondered what it was that had dampened the bright enthusiasm in her friend's eyes. _Perhaps she's afraid she won't be strong enough to enter?_ She chewed on the thought but decided not to ask. Brussi was surely feeling a mix of excitement and doubt about going to a planet she had never known. Mai was feeling a little of the same about returning to her own people's home world. 

Mai stepped slowly into the cockpit, aiming for the nearest pilot chair. She concentrated on keeping her legs steady. Brussi didn't move to help but she did shift slightly as her friend made her way. 

The Namek settled into the captain's seat and sighed a little. She would be glad when her healing was done. She hoped Brussi wouldn't mind if she stuck to the ship or whatever housing they got for another day. No sense in stressing her body any more than necessary. 

There was another worry on her mind, anyway. She still felt guilty for leaving behind the others, even Dorei. Especially Dorei. The woman had not been fatally injured but her wounds would keep her from being desirable as a harem woman. And Mai didn't think there would be much the Buki-jin could do after so long as a pampered slave. The others had simply been too frightened of her after she had attacked to agree to leave. 

Mai rubbed her face wearily. She didn't know what solution would suit best. She just didn't like the thought of leaving them there. If only they could _do_ something. She tapped a finger against her lips. 

"Brussi... about the others..." 

The other woman tensed and ground her teeth. "Not again, brat. They made their choice." 

"But we can't leave them to..." 

"Gah!" Brussi threw her hands into the air. She turned away, staring at the ruined command panel she had been working on. A soft _beep beep_ interrupted whatever she might have said. A green light began to flicker on the console in front of Mai. She leaned a bit to see what it was. Brussi grinned, grateful for the distraction, and came over beside the chair. 

"It's the vicinity indicator," she explained. The Saiyan moved to the other side of Mai and pressed a few of the nearby buttons. She couldn't quite control the small tremor in her hand. She felt a surge of excitement, her stomach twisted and danced. Casting a quick glance at Mai, she smiled and said, "We're in sight of Vegetasei now." 

Mai's expression remained pensive, though she smiled weakly. She was sorry she couldn't quite feel happy about the situation. 

Brussi gave Mai a thoughtful look. The Namek wasn't going to let go of what happened at the seraglio. The younger woman had explained in a hushed, somewhat shamed, voice about Dorei's attack and her own response. Brussi hadn't known Mai could fight like that. The details had been sketchy, Mai said that it seemed more like a dream or a nightmare, distant and vague, rather than a memory. 

Brussi shook her head slightly, there was something she could suggest, though she wasn't sure if Mai would accept it. "You're so worried about those others, well here's your best bet to help them. Saiyans love a good challenge and those Doku-jin would certainly make some worthy opponents. We can recruit some of the warriors and-" 

The comment was cut short. A monitor snapped on, showing a span of dark space littered with thousands of stars. A cloud of orange and red dust stretched across the screen. 

Mai looked at Brussi questioningly. The Saiyan's brows drew together. She tapped a few buttons on the command panel, sure that the computer had made a mistake. The empty view shown couldn't be their destination. 

The computer insisted that the coordinates were correct and that the monitor was displaying that area of space. 

"Feh." Brussi pounded her knuckles on the panel. She glared at the console. "The computer must be malfunctioning." 

Mai clasped her hands in her lap to keep them from trembling. The idea of being lost in space wasn't too appealing. "Did we come at the wrong part of the planet's orbit?" 

"Hmm..." Brussi pressed a few more buttons, trying to coax more information out of the computer. She had wondered if the short battle with the guard ships had damaged the memory stores. Aside from a few glitches when the computer reverted to Aisu-jin again, there hadn't been any indication of something serious. 

"I don't know," she conceded. "I'm going to cross-reference with the main files. Maybe it's just the navigation system." 

The computer display began to scroll through the information available about the planet. People, customs, language, weather, culture. None of it she was interested in. She skipped over those, her eyes skimming for the coordinates that she needed. She was about to advance the list when a notation caught her attention. 

Mai watched as Brussi pressed her palms flat on the command panel. The Saiyan was still frowning, but now she became utterly still, not even drawing a breath for a several seconds. Her face smoothed a little, though it did not soften. Instead, a new hardness settled into her features. Her profile seemed to be carved out of flesh colored stone. 

Brussi straightened slowly. She turned and began to walk around the chair Mai was sitting in. Towards the exit. 

"Brussi, what is it?" Mai questioned. But her friend didn't respond, didn't look at her, as if she didn't exist. Mai peered into Brussi's dark eyes and shivered a little. She had seen the woman angry, happy, sad, confused, bloodthirsty... in any number of emotional states. 

But her eyes held something different now. A kind of stark frigidity that locked away all feelings, hiding them. 

Mai shifted her gaze to the computer display. She scanned the information and quickly found what had caused her friend's behavior. Beside the label "Current Status" were the words "Race: Exterminated, Planet: Destroyed." 

Mai gasped softly and pushed out of the chair. Her shaky legs threatened to fold beneath her but she kept them moving until she caught up Brussi. She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. The Saiyan jerked away, continuing out the door. 

The portal closed behind her with a gentle _swoosh._

Mai dropped her hand to her side. _Oh Brussi..._ She felt a wave of sorrow for her friend. Tears pricked her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she sent a prayer for guidance and healing to the gods. She knew she possessed no magic that could comfort this hurt. All she could do was wait for Brussi to emerge from her mental shell. 

A trickle of dread worked its way into Mai's heart as she stood there. Neither of them had thought to check for information on their people. It had been foolish, perhaps, considering how long ago their parents had contact with others of their kind. Brussi's parents had been captured young and served several years as slaves. Even after they had managed to escape, they had lived on an isolated planet for over a decade. Her own mother, Rea, had spent several hundred years on a foreign world. 

What had been the fate of her own species? Mai turned back towards the command panels. She bit her lip, not certain she wanted to pull that secret from the computer. A part of her argued she could find out later. Not now, not yet. But another voice chided her for her cowardice. 

The corner of her mouth lifted in an involuntary smile. Funny how the voice that berated her for lack of courage sounded a lot like Brussi. She sighed and stepped over to the panel. Her fingers tapped in the code to bring up any information on Nameksei. Her eyes read the screen slowly, savoring the words that invoked her inherited memories and stalled her from seeing the words she dreaded. 

But she couldn't put off the reality of them. 

Mai closed her eyes and shut the file. Her fingers moved down to grip the edge of the command panel. Then she gradually sank to her knees. 

The Namek leaned her forehead between her hands. The tears that hadn't flowed earlier did now, in silent rivulets. Her heart thumped and squeezed inside her chest. Every breath was laced with quiet sadness. Yearning curled itself inside her stomach, like a child lost from its parent, reaching out for every memory and trying to find its way home again. The beauty of the phantom sky, land and water lanced through her. 

Mai stayed like that for a long time. She let the old images wash over her, bringing with them a bittersweet ache. She tried to feel grateful that she had them, that at least she could carry inside the knowledge of how they had lived. But it left an emptiness as well that couldn't be filled. 

Finally, the memories faded into the back of her mind. She didn't try to stifle the hollow pangs in her heart. Rising from the floor, she gently wiped away the remains of her tears. 

The door to the cockpit opened. Mai locked gazes with Brussi, glimpsing for a second the raw pain in those onyx eyes. She wondered if her friend saw the same in hers. Brussi's expression quickly became shuttered, a cold mask that showed no emotion. 

The woman walked briskly over to the main command panel. Nimble fingers began to tap in instructions. 

"I hope your planet is up for some visitors, brat," Brussi said. Her voice was roughened, huskier than normal. 

Mai looked down at the floor. She replied quietly, "We can't go there, Brussi." 

"Why not?" snapped Brussi. She glanced up, her lips curled in anger. 

"My planet was... like yours..." Mai couldn't push the words from her throat. They lodged there, refusing to emerge and tightening the passage. 

Brussi returned her attention to the panel display. She called up the file on Nameksei. She read the information presented to her. Her shoulders hunched, shaking a bit. Then she threw back her head and laughed. The sound was bitter and humorless, rebounding off the walls around them. 

Mai's hands curled into fists. Her jaw clenched and her eyeridges drew together in a harsh expression. But she kept her gaze riveted to the deck. 

"...some joke... some cosmic joke..." Brussi choked out. She pointed to Mai, not seeming to notice the other was fixedly staring down. "And worse for you. What kind of universe allows a race of near _pacifists_ be destroyed?" 

A silent snarl drew Mai's lips back, revealing her fangs. The laughter and words shredded what little control she had over her own emotions. Her knuckles turned a chalky green. 

Brussi laughed again. She placed her hands on her hips and kept chuckling. "At least Saiyans earned their trip to Hell! Do you know how?" 

Mai didn't answer. Her eyes stayed gazing at the floor. Anger burned up her stomach and chest. 

"Of course you don't know," Brussi answered her own question. She crossed her arms and turned away, the bitter snickers abruptly stopped. Her voice continued, cold, "I never told you. I don't know why. It's not something I feel guilt over. Heh, must've been some misguided attempt at not shocking your peaceful nature." 

Brussi paused a moment, then resumed, "We were destroyers for hire. A creature named Frieza ran a business called the Planet Trade. He paid us to go to planets that someone wanted to buy and clear out the natives. We didn't need much encouragement, since Saiyans will take any excuse to fight." 

The woman stopped again. She faced Mai and let her arms drop. Walking up to the Namek, she added in the same cold tone, "It seems karma caught up with us since it was Frieza who destroyed my people. I won't say, though, that I don't wish I could take his head as a trophy for it." 

Mai remained silent, unmoving. Her fists stayed clenched and her head bowed. The only sound for moments was the hum of the ship's equipment mingled with the breathing of the two women. 

Suddenly, Brussi grabbed Mai's shoulder and shook her hard. "Are you just going to stand there like a statue?" 

Mai raised her fisted hand. She lightly thumped the flat of it on Brussi's shoulder guard. She looked up, revealing her tear streaked face. Her soft voice said, "If you're waiting for me to damn you for your people's wrongs, I can't." 

Brussi released Mai with another shake. She didn't know if that was what she had been wanting or not and the confusion showed. She said in an uncertain tone, "I would have joined them." 

Mai shrugged slightly. Lowering her hand, she said, "But you can't. And I don't think you would do such things on your own." 

Brussi bristled at that, not sure if Mai was commenting on her strength or courage or both. Then she pushed aside the offense, deciding the Namek didn't have the mind to consider what sorts of things could be insulting to a warrior. She crossed her arms again and stated, "Eh. It doesn't matter at the moment. We have to figure out where we go from here. I've seen enough of this piece of junk to know I don't want to live in it." 

The younger woman searched through her inherited knowledge, looking for anything that might be useful in chosing a new home. Unfortunately, the data was inadequate for that purpose. There didn't seem to be much to recommend one place over another. 

Brussi, meanwhile, had wandered back over to the command panel. She was tapping her forefinger on the surface, mouth thinned in thought. Lines of information scrolled by on the display she studied. After a short time, she pushed away from it. She looked at Mai, her eyes glittered with fury. 

"I don't know where you want to go," the Saiyan commented in a steady voice, "but I've made my decision." 

Mai was almost afraid to ask. Her friend had that strange, hungry look that had appeared back when the warrior had attacked those rebel guards in the hall. "Where will you go?" 

"I'm going to find that bastard Frieza," Brussi bit out. "He's going to pay for what he's done!" 

The Namek twisted her fingers into the hem of her sleeves. She didn't like the sound of that plan. If Frieza was powerful enough to destroy both Vegetasei and Nameksei... how could one lone fighter defeat him? 

Brussi scowled as Mai's thoughts were well expressed on her face. "You aren't going to talke me out of this, Mai, so forget trying!" 

Mai shook her head to placate her friend. She struggled with her own decision. She wasn't well suited for any sort of revenge, with no fighting skills despite the one occurrence. Also, she didn't think Nameks were the sort to condone that sort of thing. Fight to protect, yes, but vengeance? 

_Gods, the time I need someone to advise me..._ thought Mai. She glanced at her friend. The Saiyan was waiting, not entirely patiently. Mai sighed and asked, wondering if she was going crazy, "Where did he go?" 

Surprise flit across Brussi's face, quickly followed by a smirk. "The dates on the files are scrambled. It seems the fight we got into did damage some of the memory stores. But the last recorded destination was a planet called Chikyuusei." 

Mai took a deep breath, strengthening her resolve. She couldn't back down now. "Then I guess we're going to Chikyuusei." 

Brussi laughed, this time in true humor. Coming to her friend, she slapped Mai on the back of her shoulder. Her face showed that cold, nearly evil expression. "Frieza better watch his ass!" 


	9. Albatross Landing

_**Author's Notes:** Shad pulled my bacon from the fire again. I swear he's becoming a real life muse. He kept this chapter from going completely down the drain. _

**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended. 

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 9   
Albatross Landing 

-

Mai stretched her legs as she sat in the pilot chair. Her muscles cramped a little from her long stay in the seat. She and Brussi had devised a rotating shift, each one watching the command panel for a few hours at a time. Brussi had been worried that their trek through space would attract attention from nearby systems. Especially those that belonged to the Planet Trade. They were flying around in a stolen Aisu-jin ship, after all. Even if the owner hadn't been Aisu-jin, they weren't likely to be amused by the theft. Neither of them wanted to be captured, so they watched in case someone tried to attack or follow. 

The problem was there wasn't much to do in the cockpit aside from either sit or pace around. The inactivity tended to make Mai's muscles tighten up after a while. Not that she minded, really, the memory of the numbness she had felt from her spinal injury was still fresh. She could accept the aching with some gratitude since she could easily not be feeling anything at all. 

She glanced at the display, noting that the computer still reported all clear, then stood. Walking about, she let her mind wander over the past week. Not much had happened. There had been only one incident, where a patrol ship had followed them for a short distance, to disturb the relative peace they had traveled in. It seemed the Planet Trade didn't put much effort into guarding the interior of its holdings. 

Mai was glad of it herself. She didn't think the ship could take much more damage. Brussi had done her best to repair it, but the aft shields still cut out if the engines were drawing too much energy. One of the command panels was completely dead and random sparks still flew from some of the cobbled together replacement components. 

The Namek tilted her head, focusing on the whine of the engines and the low humming of the energy barrier. The sounds of the shields were somewhat intermittent. They waned for a space of nanoseconds before coming back on. 

Mai resisted the urge to power the engines down a bit. Brussi had decided that the small loss of shields was acceptable for the boost they got in speed. The Saiyan was becoming impatient with being stuck on board the ship. She wanted to get to their destination as quickly as possible. 

Mai sighed and ambled back over to the command panel. They were almost at Chikyuusei anyway. A few more minutes, then they would began their quest to track down Frieza. 

A dull ache gripped Mai's heart. She still had trouble accepting that her brethren were gone, wiped out. It didn't seem fair that they would survive the disaster that drove Rea from her home world only to fall to a tyrant. A part of her hoped there were others like her. Nameks who had escaped the destruction. 

She wondered, not for the first time, if Brussi would help her search. The other woman hadn't mentioned the death of her people since the day they had arrived at the destroyed planet. Any attempt to broach the subject was met with cold silence. 

She sighed again, watching the computer count down the arrival time. Brussi had said she would be back in time for the approach to the planet. The Saiyan had converted part of the ship into a workout area and spent hours in it. Training, she said, for the upcoming fight. Mai wasn't sure if the training was going as well as her friend had planned. Often, Brussi would come out looking furious as well as bruised and cut. 

Mai didn't ask what it was that caused the anger. Instead, she had quietly offered her healing abilities when her friend was done. Brussi had been thankful enough and would shake off the mood after a good meal. The Saiyan was resting now, having spent a good amount of time preparing for their landing. 

A green light began to flicker on and off on the command panel. Mai cast a glance at the door. _Perhaps Brussi overslept?_

The entrance whooshed open just as Mai completed the thought. Brussi strode into the room, stretching her arms and yawning. She placed her hands on her hips. "So, brat, looks like we made it in one piece." 

The Saiyan walked up to the command panel and pressed a few buttons. She nodded as the computer confirmed they had arrived at Chikyuusei. "Good, doesn't look like they have any sort of planetary defense. Should be easy enough to land. Better get in your seat, I don't think the landing will be any smoother than the take off." 

Brussi grinned and flopped down in the captain's chair, quickly strapping herself in. Mai grimaced at the seat she had left not too long ago, then sat down again. She pulled the straps over her. The buckles clicked as she pressed the ends together. 

"Where will we be setting down, Brussi?" she asked after making sure her restraints were secure. She didn't remember much about the take off, except that it had been rough. She hoped she didn't get bounced around like that again. 

"Hmmm..." Brussi leaned forward and began tapping in commands. The computer brought up an image of the planet below. She scanned the surface, looking for a good spot. "There!" 

She pointed to what seemed to be a small tan area on the planet. Tapping a few more buttons, the display changed to a close-up. A smooth stretch of earth littered with small rocks and shrubs filled the screen. "Looks like some sort of flat lands. No trees or cliffs to get in our way. It's also far enough from the cities that we shouldn't get any unwanted visitors right away." 

Mai nodded. It seemed a good place to start out. She wasn't sure the natives would like a foreign ship setting down near a major settlement without knowing if the occupants were friends or enemies. 

Her thoughts were interrupted as the ship shuddered somewhat as it hit the planet's gravity well. Brussi put in the landing codes, letting the computer plot the best approach into the atmosphere. A slight groaning of metal sounded from the rear of the ship. Mai flicked a concerned glance over at Brussi, but the woman was too busy observing the computer display. 

The sound faded, then returned, louder this time Mai glanced over the back of the seat, then back at her friend. "Brussi?" 

The Saiyan grunted. A thin sheen of sweat glistened on her forehead but she replied in an unconcerned tone, "The temperature of the hull is just increasing from air friction, the sound is the material expanding." 

The groaning faded again. Brussi grinned at Mai, her attitude confident. "See? Nothing to worry about." 

The vessel shuddered again, more strongly. Both women grabbed hold of the edge of the command panel as they rocked in their chairs. Grinding sounds accompanied the vibrations. The noise seemed to rise out of the flooring and reverberated off the walls. The whine of the engines rose to a piercing screech. 

Mai winced and covered her ears. Brussi checked the display again and cursed. Her fingers moved rapidly over the panel. 

"Brussi, what's happening?" Mai asked over the din, her voice a bit shaky. The awful wail of the engines was making her head throb. 

"Shit!" Brussi pounded the panel surface. She shouted back, "The shields are failing! The hull temperature is rising over the thermal threshold." 

"What?" Mai clutched her head tighter. The constant screeching and rending was cutting through her senses. She was tossed about in her seat, the restraints the only thing keeping her secure. Dizziness was beginning to set in and made it hard to concentrate on her friend's words. 

"This damn piece of junk is burning up!" snapped Brussi. Her own ears were ringing from the combination rending of tortured metal and pops of overheated plastics. Acrid smoke slithered out from the internal components, seeping between cracks in the walls and command stations. Warm air wafted around them as the heat made it's way inward. 

Brussi kept her attention fixed on the panel as long as she could. Frantically pressing buttons, she tried to route more power to the shields. The engines responded with a higher pitched screeching, protesting the loss as they struggled to keep the ship stable. 

The air in the cockpit grew warmer, the harsh sounds of the ship breaking up growing louder. The Aisu-jin vessel pitched and rolled. 

"Arrgh! Hang on, Mai!" Brussi bellowed. She clenched her fists a second, then input a new command. The shields dropped dangerously low but the engines renewed a more normal, though still shrill, tone. The ship leveled its descent, racing towards the ground. _I hope this works..._

Brussi held on to the sides of the captain's chair. She tucked her feet on the forward edge, pressing her knees close to her chest. Mai glanced over and took in the Saiyan's new posture. The Namek quickly followed suit. She leaned her forehead down on the top of her knees. 

Brussi's jaw tightened as the display showed their rapid approach. The flat lands she had aimed for whizzed by underneath. The parched earth gave way to forests, the trees zipping by so fast they appeared a green blur. She could feel herself being pressed into the cushion of her seat as inertia dragged her. 

Another string of curses slipped out when the screen showed a broken pattern of white and green rising before the landing ship. The jagged skyline left no doubt in her mind. The twinkling of glass in cement played across the screen. Buildings soon grazed the underside of the vessel, adding to the cacophony that filled the cockpit. 

The ship rocked as one side smashed through part of a tall skyscraper. A boom thundered through the walls. Another boom followed as the projectile ripped through a second building. A morbid rhythm continued as more objects came in the way, each adding its own rumbling note, shaking the vessel and its occupants. 

Brussi lay her head down on her knees and covered it with her arms. 

The Aisu-jin ship slammed into the ground. It screamed along the surface, gouging out a trench in the asphalt of the streets and blasting the sidewalks to dust. Parked cars impacted the hull. Some flipped over the top, bouncing and skimming over it like toys thrown by a child. Others were crushed to the sides or underneath. 

People ran in horror, forming a wave of moving fright as the foreign invader scraped through the city. 

Finally, the ship came to a halt on a main street near the center of the town. Listing a bit to the left, the vessel sank into melted asphalt. The superheated exterior gave off plumes of steam. Metal groaned as it began to cool while otherwise silence settled over the area. 

"Uhh..." Brussi lifted her head and rubbed her face in her hands. The air in the cockpit was stifling, causing sweat to soak into the tunic under her armor. The combined heat and dampness made her skin itch. She turned her gaze to her friend. "Mai? Hey, brat, you alive?" 

Mai uncurled her fingers, withdrawing the sharp nails from the seat covering. The Namek peeked through one eye, then raised her head. She swiped at the beads of moisture that formed on her forehead. She panted a little in the heat. "Yeah... I'm all right." 

Brussi grunted at the reply. She quickly undid her restraints and tested the temperature of the floor. A mild warmth radiated from the surface, though no more than a sun drenched walk might give off on a nice day. She hoped the hull would cool down quickly. Being stuck inside while the planet inhabitants had time to gather their forces wouldn't be good. 

The woman returned her attention to the command panel. Adjusting some of the controls, she cycled through the few functioning outside scanners. Mai watched and tugged at the cloth around her neck. She had forgotten how stuffy the fabric could be. For a moment, she wished she had stuck with the thinner material of her harem dress. 

A pang of guilt sprung up at the thought. The idea of discarding her traditional robe out of convenience seemed petty in the light of the loss of her people. No, she'd become accustomed to it again, wearing it in memory of her culture. 

Brussi cussed, drawing Mai's attention. She brought up a view from the hatch area. She pointed at the similar clothed people approaching the outside of the ship. They seemed to be wearing some sort of black uniform and carried what looked to be weapons. One of them stepped out of the small group, raising a cone shaped object to its mouth. 

Mai shook off her pensiveness. Studying the various monitor, she asked, "Do you think we'll be able to avoid being taken prisoner?" 

"Don't know, brat," Brussi shrugged, her expression guarded. She fiddled with the controls to see if the person outside was speaking. Whether he was or not, she couldn't tell with that ridiculous looking device covering his lips. Static burst out of the speakers but no words could be discerned from the noisy mess. 

The black clad figure on the screen waved an arm. He seemed to be becoming more agitated as time went on without an answer. Brussi tried to engage the outer speakers but wasn't very optimistic. When a few sparks exploded from the buttons she had pressed, she decided that trying to speak with the crowd outside wasn't going to be an option. 

The Saiyan unclasped the Doku-jin weapon from her belt and checked to make sure it hadn't been damaged in the crash. Mai stared at her, chiding, "Brussi! We can't go out there with weapons!" 

Brussi sent her friend a reproachful gaze. "We just crashed through a few dwellings and smashed up some of their city. I'm sure they aren't going to take that well." 

Before Mai could respond, a distant _ping ping_ echoed through the room. Brussi nodded to the monitor. "Looks like they're tired of waiting." 

The Namek bit her lip as she saw the uniformed natives spread out in a half circle, pointing their weapons at the hull. Although she couldn't hear the retorts of them firing, she could see a slight jerk of the hands holding them and the sharp staccato noise as the projectiles bounced off the exterior a second later. 

Brussi didn't return her weapon to it's position on her hip after she was done inspecting it. Instead, she leaned the barrel against her shoulder. She glanced at the computer display. "The temperature of the hull is decreasing fast. We need to get in a better position before those natives decide to rush the ship." 

With that, she turned on her heel and strode toward the cockpit exit. Mai gasped, "Brussi! Brussi, we can't get into a stand off with them!" 

Her words went unheeded as her friend sprinted out into the corridor as soon as the door slid open. Mai allowed herself a muttered swear as she took off after Brussi. She caught up to the Saiyan already halfway to the hatch. 

While the air in the cockpit had managed to cool slightly, the hallway was still sweltering. The flooring felt almost like it was a cook surface instead. Mai bounced from foot to foot, her moccasins no match for the heat. She glared at Brussi's still retreating back. "Brussi, stop! We need to try and talk peacefully!" 

Brussi glanced over her shoulder and shook her head. Her brows were drawn down in that wolfish expression. "They started it, Mai! We can't get ourselves thrown into some prison before we track down Frieza!" 

"How are we supposed to find out what happened to him if you make us enemies of the people here?" grumbled Mai. The other woman had increased her speed toward the hatch, not replying to the question if she had heard it. 

The rest of the way was traveled without conversation. Their quick paced footsteps thumping down the corridor and the panting induced by the oppressive heat were the only sounds for several moments. Finally, Brussi skid to a stop before the hatch. She punched in the open command, cursing the slight burn on her fingertips. 

Mai wiped her brows with the sleeve of her robe. Her throat was dry from the run. She said in a somewhat parched voice, "Brussi, we really should try-" 

"Quiet, brat!" Brussi scowled at the younger woman. The Namek's peaceful nature was going to be a liability if it kept popping up in the worst situations. _Gonna have to teach her some battle sense._

Brussi shook her head and gave the hatch a push when the mechanism stalled. The door opened with a metallic moan, letting in sunlight and blue sky. Muted shouts from the natives outside filtered into the ship. Brussi sidled next to the opening. The angle the ship had settled at caused the hatch to point upwards a bit, instead of down to the ground. It meant they would have to jump to get out, but it also provided some cover. 

Brussi glared at Mai from the corner of her eyes. "Now stay down and keep quiet, Mai. No need to let them know how many of us there are." 

"I really think we should-" began Mai. She was cut off again, this time by a tiny projectile striking the edge of the hatch opening and ricocheting over their heads. The two women instinctively ducked away. The object left a series of _tang tang tang _noises in it's wake. 

"Grrrr... that's it!" Brussi growled. Before Mai could stop her, the Saiyan positioned herself in the doorway and brought her weapon to bear. Blue white bolts zapped through the expanse outside and pattered onto the pavement. Brussi cursed her bad aim, stepped back to dodge a volley of return fire, then leaned out and blasted again. 

Mai crouched on the floor, pressing her back against the wall. She didn't care at the moment if it was nearly scalding. It was better than being riddled with those tiny projectiles the natives were firing at them. She covered her head with her arms and began to mouth a peace chant, hoping they would get out of this alive. 


	10. An Interlude of Vultures

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 10   
An Interlude of Vultures 

-

_Tap tap tap tap... _The sound of boot heels on tile advanced steadily down the grand hall and mixed with the general murmur of the scattered crowd. Supreme Palace Captain Hiso kept his hand draped lazily over the top of his _ferengor,_ which was looped and secured to his right hip. His steps were sure and brisk. A titter off to the side drew his attention. He slowed long enough to give a small smile and nod to a couple of courtiers. 

One was a lithe blue-skinned female, bald with black eyes that blinked suggestively. A gauzy veil flowed from her head to her ankles. She covered her lips with the tips of her slender fingers and giggled again. Her companion was another female, peach skinned with fiery red hair. That one fluttered the hem of her translucent dress and formed her lips into an unmistakable kiss. She winked at Hiso. 

He touched the brim of his guard cap and nodded again, agreeing to the silent request, then resumed his journey. Several more courtiers attempted to get his attention in the same manner. Some he accepted, others he brushed off and the rest he ignored completely. It didn't matter that he'd already arranged a dozen or so encounters at that point. He certainly intended to enjoy his recent status of "hero." 

The details could always be worked out later. He had already decided one particular courtier, Uwaki Mono, wife of Fuzen-jin Premier Yota Mono, would be a good start. The way she always smelled of rain and fruit had often intrigued him. 

Smiling faintly at the thought, Hiso reached his destination. Two very large, very ornate doors sat in the wall he faced. Precious metals and gemstones winked from the dark mahogany wood. A pair of grandly attired elite guards stood before the portal, carrying golden bladed spears with crimson streamers. 

Hiso took a moment to straighten his jacket and make sure his war ribbons were affixed correctly. He smoothed the thick fabric of his uniform. Satisfied that his appearance was in order, he signaled to the guards. 

The door swung open silently. The guards moved to the sides and bowed the captain into the room beyond. 

A lofty throne sat on a raised dais at the end of the long room. Columns of marble reached from floor to ceiling. Various antique tapestries, statues and paintings adorned the area. A deep pile, royal carpet with silver border stretched from the doors up the dais stairs to the Emperor's seat. The air within was warm, infused with a spicy cinnamon apple scent. 

Several favored courtiers stood about the dais, casting curious glances at the newcomer. Whatever conversation might have been flowing between the occupants had ceased when the doors open. It left the room strangely quiet. Even the harp girl in the corner had stilled her music. 

Hiso squared his shoulders and marched into the room. He paced up the carpet, the _tap tap_ of his boots changed to a muted _thud thud_. When he reached the lowest step of the dais, he knelt down before the Emperor. 

Emperor Seisan regarded the man silently, his eyes half closed. He was wrapped in gold threaded silk robes. A courtier was currently running a fine ivory comb through his slick hair. The black strands were streaked with silver and royal blue. Every so often, the pale skinned courtier would massage his scalp. 

"His Supreme Self Emperor Seisan commands my presence and I obey at his pleasure. How my I serve my lord?" Hiso intoned, his deep voice clipped and not quite as humble as it might have been. 

Seisan pursed his lips at the tenor of the question but did not address it. He waved away the courtier attending him. As she departed, he said, "We are most pleased with your recent contribution to the sanctity of our palace. Those rebel dogs did their best to defile our glorious home. Your quick wits and cunning perhaps saved us a more grievous injury to the pride of Dokusei." 

Hiso bowed more deeply, his ego pleasantly stroked by the words of his Emperor. He wondered if he had been summoned so that a reward might be bestowed upon him. His pride rankled a bit that if it was so, that the Emperor hadn't seen fit to make an occasion out of the situation. A little ceremony of few thousand in attendance, a feast as well, surely wouldn't be too much for his turning the tide in the fight with the rebels. 

He didn't ponder it much longer as the Emperor had continued, "...therefore, we grant you the title of Second General, Emperor's Private Task Force." 

"_Se-second_ General?" Hiso sputtered. He wasn't very successful in keeping the slight contempt out of his voice. That rank was a scarce step above his own. And Emperor's Private Task Force? A glorified errand boy! 

"You are not... pleased with this, Second General Hiso?" inquired Seisan with a hint of disapproval. He raised a black eyebrow. 

Hiso choked on his indignation. He wasn't stupid enough to voice his true feelings on the matter. Instead, he swallowed his hurt pride and replied evenly, "I live only to serve His Supreme Self Emperor Seisan. That is honor enough." 

Seisan smiled knowingly. The former captain loved to overstate his own worth. The Emperor was convinced it had merely been a fluke that Hiso had been in a position to overhear the rebel commander. After all, if the palace guards had been properly trained in the first place, the rebels wouldn't have even breached the outer walls. 

"Excellent," Seisan stated, settling a little more into the cushions of his throne. He noted absently that the stuffing was thinning in a few areas. He'd have to discipline his personal throne attendant for allowing it to go unchecked. The idea warmed him and he relished the thought. "And we have just the mission to test your skills at your new post." 

Hiso allowed himself a quick glance at Seisan. He mumbled, "Of course, I will be truly honored, Emperor Seisan." 

Seisan nodded. One corner of his lips lifted a little further, he motioned to one of his personal elite guards. "Ekian, bring it in." 

A man with yellow toned skin stepped behind the kneeling Hiso, bowed, then strode over to a side door. He shoved it open and reached into the darkened chamber. There was muffled crying as he drew out a woman clad in a ragged dress. Her face was striped with puckered red scars, her eyes were swollen from tears. 

Ekian half dragged the woman across the room. She didn't really resist him but couldn't quite keep her legs from buckling under. She stumbled to a halt beside Hiso. The personal guard pushed her down onto her knees. 

"Our poor Dorei," Seisan murmured. He shook his head and clucked his tongue in pity though the smile didn't leave his face. "Tell Second General Hiso what occurred on the night the rebels attacked." 

Dorei hiccupped and licked her lips. She tried to smooth her frazzled hair. Her hand rubbed away the tears, though she winced when it brushed over the scars. Voice trembling, she said, "It was Mai... she went wild, came at me!" 

Seisan's eyes narrowed, he frowned at Dorei. "Do not bleat over your lost vanity. The whole tale or We'll have you whipped right here!" 

A stifled whimper was Dorei's reply. She nodded shakily. Taking a breath, she added in a strained voice, "The south wall was struck by... by something and it exploded into the common room. A group of rebels came and opened the doors. They didn't say much, only that they would return. They left the doors open..." 

Hiso shifted a little. The woman's whining tone was beginning to annoy him. He didn't see what was so important about listening to some slave's tale. Surely the seraglio was a low priority in any case. 

The Emperor glared and wiggled a finger, indicating that Dorei should keep going. 

"It was Brussi and Mai!" Dorei wailed, not able to keep her fear reigned in. Seisan's reputation for punishing harem women was terrifying her. Her mind couldn't stop picturing the various tortures she might endure as punishment for someone else's crime. She wasn't about to take the blame. "Brussi was the one who said she was leaving. Ran right out the door! Didn't consider she had no right! Then Mai followed! Then... then that _demon_ came back! I was trying to order the others, to keep them from fleeing as well, my Emperor, and she attacked me for it!" 

Dorei's voice rose to a screech at the end of her tirade. Her face became flushed, the scars turned a dark red purple. 

"Silence!" Seisan bellowed. Dorei's once beautiful face disgusted him now as it twisted with anger and fear. Her voice, once low and husky, reminded him now of nails on slate. He grimaced at her, then addressed Hiso, "As you now know, Second General Hiso, the palace guards under your command failed to hold the seraglio." 

Hiso didn't respond. He was fairly sickened that his time was being wasted on the subject of a few escaped harem women. He kept his expression neutral, though, in spite of his thoughts. 

Seisan tapped a knuckle against his teeth as he studied the bent form of the former captain. Then he continued in a more mellow, almost apologetic tone, "We know that some would consider two escaped slaves of little import. But you must realize the strict discipline it takes to assure proper respect is accorded to Our Supreme Self and our rule." 

The pause prompted Hiso to nod and murmur a response. "Of course, my Emperor. You are always wise in such grand matters." 

Seisan smirked and folded his hands in his lap. "Then you must understand that we cannot let this matter go without remedy. The escaped slaves must be tracked down and punished accordingly." 

"Tracked... down, my Emperor?" Hiso shot Seisan a questioning look. A small knot settled into his stomach. 

"Of course," Seisan nodded sagely. He sighed, making a resigned face. "And we believe since it was your officers who failed in their duty, well..." 

The Emperor shrugged and continued, "It is now your duty to retrieve them." 

Hiso bit down on his tongue to prevent a curse from slipping out. He bent his head further to hide any expression of displeasure. He forced himself to say, "Indeed, my Emperor, your judgment is without fault. I shall begin a search of the immediate area, then broaden it to-" 

"There is no need," Seisan cut in. He waved his hand negligently. He slid Hiso a sidelong look. "Some guards have already confirmed that the two stole an Aisu-jin ship. We were not pleased with the favors extracted as recompense." 

Hiso stared at Seisan. For the moment, he forgot his supposed humility and blurted, "But they're _slaves_! How can they fly a ship? It must have been rebels instead!" 

Seisan frowned at both Hiso's ignorance and lack of submission. He stated firmly, "It was indeed the slaves. The one named Brussi was kept at a Buki-jin shipyard before she came to us. We believe her old masters were lax in their attention to proper duties." 

Hiso scowled, then lowered his head again. "And my duties?" 

"Find them and bring them back," Seisan ordered. He steepled his fingers. "A ship has already been prepared for your journey. Take whomever you please from the last army training class. Ten cadets should be sufficient enough for this mission. You will find all necessary details in the main computer files." 

Hiso touched his forehead to the floor, then rose. His expression was void of any dissention, a perfect mask of military efficiency. He placed his hands behind his back. "As you command, my Emperor." 

Seisan nodded and motioned a dismissal. The courtiers who had been silent observers to the meeting began to chatter. Clothes rustled as they moved about again, behaving as if they hadn't been privy to the discussion. The harp girl in the corner plucked out a new song. A fur clad female offered the Emperor a dish of candied fruit. 

Hiso turned from the scene and began to walk back to the large doors. Seisan's deep voice pulled him to a halt. "Ah, Second General Hiso, there is one more thing." 

Hiso faced Seisan again. He asked in a steady voice, "Yes, my Emperor?" 

Seisan pointed carelessly to Dorei, who was still kneeling before his throne. "Take this refuse with you, it mars the beauty of our grand home. Kill it and throw the body out as a sacrifice to the wild gods." 

"No!" Dorei screamed and scrambled to her feet. She ran toward the exit. A grim faced Ekian drew his weapon and fired a stun bolt at the fleeing woman's back. The slave crashed to the floor unconscious. 

Hiso grimaced, then nodded. "As you wish, my Emperor." 

He strode over to the prone woman. Reaching down, he took hold of her hands and slung her over his shoulder. She didn't weigh much but she smelled sour, as if she hadn't bathed in a while. He wrinkled his nose and headed to the doors. A pair of guards who matched the ones on the other side opened the way for him. 

Second General Hiso stepped out of the throne room, on to performing the duties he had been given. 

Seisan sucked on one of the candied fruits he had taken from the courtier's platter. He let a slow, satisfied smile spread over his features. He wondered how long it would take Hiso to pick up the trail of the slaves. Oh, he had provided the man with some general information. The fact that the ship had taken off in a fairly straight course and where that course would lead was there. 

But he wasn't convinced of Hiso's cleverness. He doubted Hiso kept up on the news of worlds outside the Doku-jin empire. It wouldn't surprise him in the least if Hiso would be startled to arrive at a planet that wasn't there. The information on the destruction of Vegetasei was in the computer memory stores. The question was whether Hiso would bother to check the files before he set his course. 

Seisan chewed the sugary fruit into a mush, then swallowed it. He picked another from the dish and popped it into his mouth. He had some idea where the slaves might go. If his sources were correct, the green one's home world had also been destroyed by Frieza. 

What they had done to incur his wrath, Seisan didn't know. He had always thought the Aisu-jin to be a bit on the unstable side. But the Planet Trade equaled Seisan's own empire in strength if not in size. He had decided it wasn't worth the possibility of being overthrown to gain a few more tributes. Especially when he could just buy the planets offered and Frieza seemed content enough to keep his fingers out of Seisan's business. 

The Emperor stroked his chin thoughtfully. Knowing the Saiyan's temperament, he was fairly certain she would want to seek out the destroyer of her planet. He wasn't sure about the Namek. Still, the green one seemed to follow the other's lead. 

Yes, that's what they would do. They would track Frieza down. It would take them to Chikyuusei, where the Aisu-jin and his father had disappeared over ten years ago. 

Seisan chuckled evilly. He had no idea what sort of creatures lived there that were strong enough to take down one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy. He supposed he would find out... if Hiso survived. 


	11. Part II: A Whole New World

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Part II 

Chapter 11   
A Whole New World 

-

_Riiing... riiing..._ The plain blue telephone mounted on a wall announced an incoming call. The room was empty, for the moment, containing nothing more than the off-white walls, grey blue carpet and a smattering of furniture. Muted sounds from a television drifted in from another room. Footsteps approached in a slightly hurried pace and a woman's hand snatched up the cordless handset. 

"Nobody in this house answers the phone," grumbled the woman. She pressed the handset to her ear and said in a more cheerful voice, "Hello? Briefs residence, Bulma here." 

"Bulma! Am I glad you're home!" a tenor voice replied. The man seemed to be a bit disconcerted despite his words. "You haven't been watching the news, have you?" 

"No, I haven't, Krillin," Bulma said. She crossed her free arm over her stomach, wrinkling the tan cloth of her dress. She lightly tapped a finger on her elbow. "What's going on? You sound upset." 

"I might have good reason, Bulma," Krillin stated. "Go turn on the news." 

"Ok, ok, give me a moment." Bulma turned and headed to one of the doorways. As she walked, the sounds of the television grew louder. Stepping through, she entered the living room area. A sofa was positioned in front of the television. A teenaged boy with purple hair slouched on the seat, his arms draped over the back. Bulma plucked the remote control from one of his hands. 

"Hey!" The boy turned his head. He looked at her, disgruntled. "Mom!" 

"Not now, Trunks," replied Bulma. She frowned, deepening the shallow lines around her mouth. She pointed the remote and changed the channel over to a news station. A startled gasp escaped her. 

"See my reason?" Krillin asked, having heard Bulma's involuntarily response. 

"It... it can't be! It's like a smaller version of Frieza's ship!" Bulma said. Her mouth hung open as she took in the scene on the television. A yellow and black alien vessel was sitting on a ruined streetscape, tumbled down buildings behind it and pieces of torn up concrete and plants strewn around. She recognized it as a busy business section of West City. 

A female reporter was standing to the side on the camera view, babbling on about how the ship had crashed through the city center. The sharp retort of guns and the almost silent _zap zap _of blue-white energy bolts were heard in the background. 

"It just might be, Bulma," said Krillin, a hard edge coming into his tone. "Though I didn't sense any large power levels and so far whoever's inside has kept to shooting at the police." 

Bulma made an annoyed sound. "It would happen when Goku and Vegeta are off sparring! I don't suppose either of them even noticed." 

"Probably not," Krillin agreed with a chuckle, then turned serious again, "I already sent Yamcha off to find them. It's a good thing I didn't accept Goku's invitation, otherwise we might not have known until later." 

"Are you implying something, Krillin?" Bulma demanded, irritated that the short ex-monk might be questioning her awareness of things happening practically in her own backyard. 

"No! No no!" Krillin said. He laughed nervously for a few seconds. He paused, then said, "I'm heading over. There's no telling how long it will take for Yamcha to find those two." 

"All right," said Bulma. She was still a little miffed but if someone or something powerful decided to pop out of the ship, it would be good to have an extra fighter around. She thought for a moment, then added, "I'm going to check it out. Maybe I can find out something from the police." 

"What? Now what a minute, Bulma!" sputtered Krillin. 

Bulma waved off the concern. "Don't worry, I'll take Trunks with me!" 

"What?" Trunks turned around and stared at Bulma. He had purposely been quiet, hoping his mother wouldn't get any wild ideas. He had heard the stories about his future self coming back to defeat Frieza. His memories of that time were pretty vague since he had been so young. But he had no desire to try and live up to the reputation of his alter ego. 

"You can't-" 

"Mom, what are you-" 

Bulma ignored Trunks and Krillin's protests. She said to Krillin, "It'll be all right. Just get here as soon as you can." 

With that, Bulma pressed the handset's disconnect button, hanging up on Krillin and preventing any more disagreements. She crossed her arms and glared at Trunks. "We are going to check this out. We don't know when Goku and Vegeta will show up and it will take Krillin at least twenty minutes." 

Trunks sank a little lower into the sofa cushions. He looked as if he might argue some more, but then he sighed and rose from his seat. There wasn't much that could dissuade Bulma once she got an idea into her head. "Ok, let's go." 

Bulma's expression brightened. She smiled and quickly led the way out of the living room, stopping to grab a few capsules from a box on a table, then headed out the front door. Once she got to the street curb, she tossed one of the capsules to the ground. A small personal flier _poofed_ into existence. 

She deposited the rest of the capsules in her purse and said, "We'll go in by air. I doubt any cars will be getting through that mess." 

Trunks nodded sullenly, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets. He watched his mom get into the driver's seat. 

Bulma poked her head out the door. "Come on, Trunks!" 

Trunks sighed again and climbed in on the passenger's side. He settled into the seat, then buckled the safety belt. "I really don't think this is a good idea." 

"Don't be so pessimistic," Bulma said with a one sided smile. She started the flier, easing it off the ground. Checking the controls, she nodded and set a course for the crash site. "You've gone up against strong guys before. Krillin said he didn't sense any large power levels, so this should be easy!" 

Trunks didn't agree. He knew his mom was aware that fighters could sometimes hide their power. He wasn't sure why she was interested in going personally. He would have preferred to let his father and Goku handle it. Goten and him might have faced off with Buu, but they had been fused and still managed to screw it up. 

As far as he was concerned, he was off the official Chikyuusei warriors list. His last fight had been the last Tenkaichi Budoukai, which had turned into a disaster after Goku and Uub took off. His own father had quit because he had only been interested in fighting Goku and the fighter the other Saiyan had mentioned would be there. It had left an even number of leftover participants, so the tournament had continued. 

Trunks eventually fought Buu, who won the match. The teen hadn't really cared, he had entered to keep his father from cutting his allowance. Luckily, he hadn't been pestered much since then about fighting and training. He wanted to keep it that way. 

His attention was drawn outside as they entered the damage zone left by the alien ship. Several buildings were shedding chunks of concrete onto the ground. Twisted metal beams stuck out of gaping holes and broken glass coated various surfaces. Most cars that had been parked along the street were either flipped over or crushed. The destruction looked somehow more real, now that he saw it with his own eyes instead of watching it from a comfy sofa a safe distance away. He shifted, disquieted, as he wondered how many lives had been lost. 

Bulma set the flier down on a fairly clear lawn behind the lines of police vehicles. Trunks shoved the unease to the back of his mind. The two occupants disembarked, taking in the situation. The police were still fanned out around the ship. Some of them were discussing plans on how to approach the pilot while others kept an eye on the hatch. It seemed the fire fight was at a short break. 

Bulma strode up to one of the men. He was carrying a bullhorn and pointing to the ship as he spoke to several other officers. 

"I don't care how, Keeki, but I want in that ship by another route!" the portly older man said. A taller, younger officer nodded, looking a bit flustered. 

"Excuse me, are you the one in charge?" asked Bulma as she tapped the shorter officer on the shoulder. 

The man whirled around. He glared at the woman who was intruding on his current investigation. "Lady, this ain't no place for tourists. If you want to watch what's going on, go home and turn on the TV." 

Bulma bristled at the man's tone. Before he could turn back to the others, she poked him in the chest with her finger and said, "Listen here, whoever you are. I'm Bulma Briefs of the Capsule Corporation. We donate a lot of money to your funds, so I _think _you can spare a moment to tell me what's going on!" 

The man sputtered in anger, not at all pleased to deal with a major contributor. He'd rather leave that to the PR department. People like that always stuck their noses in where they don't belong. 

"I'm Lieutenant Doon Atsu, ma'am," he said with more than a touch of sarcasm on the end. "I'm sure you can see we're busy. Why don't you run along? The papers will write this up soon enough. Then you'll have your stories." 

"Hmph!" Bulma glared at the officer, then jerked her chin up and marched past the lieutenant. 

"Hey, mom! Wait!" Trunks reached out for Bulma but she slipped between two of the parked police cars. He shook his head and trotted off after her. 

"Crazy woman," Atsu muttered. He nodded to Keeki to follow the foolish broad. He didn't need the death of some demented aging socialite on his head. 

Keeki nodded back and tailed the other two. 

Bulma made quick time getting through the mess of cars, rubble and other officers. She always tended to walk around with enough attitude that most hesitated a moment before trying to approach. By the time they realized she didn't belong there, she had left them behind. So she reached the stretch of ground between the ship and the police before either Trunks or Officer Keeki managed to catch up. 

She gazed up at the opening in the side of the vessel. She couldn't see anything but a gray darkness beyond it. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she yelled, "I know you're in there. Whoever you are, you'd better stop your attack this instant!" 

The barrel of some sort of weapon poked out of the opening. When no defensive attack came, it was followed by the torso of a black haired female. The woman frowned down at Bulma. She seemed a little confused but her expression left no doubt she would fire if she had to. She pointed the tip of the weapon at the newcomer. 

"What do you want?" the woman asked, her voice hard. 

Bulma studied her, thinking the pointy locks and dark brows looked extremely familiar. She was momentarily relieved the occupant wasn't the same sort of creature as Frieza. Though she had a hunch that the woman was powerful enough in her own right. Stepping closer to the vehicle, Bulma replied with hands on hips, "I'm Bulma Briefs, head of the largest corporation on this planet. Do you realize the damage you've caused?" 

The woman grinned at her, not appearing at all sorry. "Wasn't my intention. And it was your native guards there who started the shooting." 

Bulma heard the thump of footsteps behind her. Without turning around, she guessed it was Trunks, maybe one of the officers. She didn't take her eyes off the other. That reply was probably the closest anyone was going to hear to an apology. It did ease her mind that the damage wasn't on purpose, if the woman wasn't lying. 

She crossed her arms. "Well, if you're done blasting things, come down here so those police know you didn't come to start a war." 

The grin disappeared. The woman didn't seem to appreciate the tone of Bulma's demand. She turned her head slightly, as if listening to something inside her ship. Bulma realized she hadn't taken into account there might be more occupants. Well, she supposed it didn't matter. If they were peaceful, then they shouldn't make a fuss about coming out. 

The woman scowled, flicking her gaze for a scant second to something or someone hidden to the side of the hatch. She said something, not sounding pleased, but Bulma couldn't make out the words. The scowl deepened and the woman snapped, "All right!" 

Bulma didn't know if the comment was directed to her or whoever it was the woman was talking to. Whichever it was, the woman shifted her grip on the weapon, freeing one hand. She placed her hand on the bottom edge of the hatch, followed by a booted foot. She pulled herself up, balanced a few seconds, then leapt down to the ground. 

The momentum from the drop forced her into a crouch. She quickly stood and brought both hands back to the weapon. Now that she was out in the light, Bulma suppressed a gasp. She recognized the black and tan armor. The twitching brown tail curled around her waist clenched it. 

Eyeing Bulma warily, the woman stated, "I didn't come here to fight with your people. I'm looking for someone." 

"Well...," Bulma said slowly, "I think I can help you." 

"Hm?" The woman gave Bulma a suspicious glare. "How? You don't know who I've come for!" 

"Maybe not," smirked Bulma, "But I do know what you are. I should warn you there are other Saiyans here and they protect this planet." 

The woman blinked at her, then her face hardened. Her muscles tensed as she gripped her weapon tighter. "Don't try to trick me, woman. I know my people are dead!" 

Bulma frowned, "Most of them, yes. But some escaped Frieza's destruction and now they live here." 

The woman's attention sharpened at the mention of Frieza. She motioned to Bulma with the weapon. Her brows were drawn down and she clenched her teeth, "You know where he is? Tell me! That bastard will pay for what he did!" 

Bulma hesitated, then answered, "If you want information, I can get it for you. But I think we'd better leave before Lieutenant Atsu decides to do something like arrest you." 

The woman considered the advice, then said loudly, "Mai, get down here. Looks like our hunt is starting off on the right foot after all." 

A pair of green hands grasped the edge of the hatch, an equally green head with antennae and elfish ears appeared in the opening. The white robed figure glanced at Bulma, then at the armored woman. A feminine voice answered, "Ok, I'm coming." 

The woman on the ground moved aside to clear the way, though she kept the weapon ready. The one called Mai stepped up onto the hatch edge and leapt down. She didn't land as hard as her friend did, bending her knees only slightly as her feet touched the ground. 

Bulma stared at her. The skin color and general body structure seemed to indicate this was a Namek. But the voice had been unmistakably female. There was also a very telling pair of bumps on the front of the robe. Not large but certainly there. She had been told there were no female Nameks! 

The Namek, Mai, looked around and her eyes seemed sad. She folded her hands, bowing to Bulma. Her voice was soft as she said, "I'm sorry for the destruction we've caused. Our ship was damaged in a fight. We had no control over our landing." 

"Mai!" The Saiyan glared at the Namek, making it clear she didn't think that information needed to be shared. 

Mai frowned back and said, "I had to apologize, Brussi. Look what we did!" 

She gestured to the ruins around them. Her eyes glittered. "Who knows how many natives were in those buildings? We're lucky they didn't execute us on sight!" 

"Brat, if you don't be quiet-" 

"Ahem!" Bulma cleared her throat loudly, drawing the attention of the two arguing visitors. "Look, if you two don't want to be hauled off, I suggest we leave." 

Brussi and Mai stopped their bickering. Mai kept her hands folded as she stepped closer to Bulma. Brussi shouldered the weapon, then followed her friend. Bulma stepped aside, letting the two come beside her but not behind. She finally acknowledged Trunks by saying, "This is my son, Trunks. He'll be coming with us." 

Trunks nodded curtly. He didn't say anything, simply turned and started back towards the flier. He wasn't surprised to see his mom take charge. He was, however, concerned over the appearance of another Saiyan. He doubted the Namek would be much trouble. 

Trunks pushed past the flushed Lieutenant Atsu. The policeman wasn't pleased at the situation. He stepped in front of the three women, barring their way. "Now see her, ma'am. These two just can't up and walk off from a crime scene like this!" 

Bulma bent down a little to look into the man's eyes. "If you want to talk to the Capsule Corp. lawyers, try to stop us. I'll have these two out faster than the ink will dry on their fingers! And I'll have the funding cut! If you stay out of the way, I'll see to it that the repairs are sponsored by my company. I'd hate to be the one responsible for losing that sort of assistance for the city." 

Atsu grumbled something unintelligible, his cheeks quivering with rage. He bellowed, "Fine! But if these two... broads get out of hand, I'm having you arrested with them!" 

He raised the bullhorn to his lips and started yelling orders for the officers to clean up and move out. 

Bulma just smiled in triumph and led the other two to the flier. Trunks had the doors open, waiting for them to catch up. Brussi gave the vehicle a once over. Convinced it was ok, she slid into one of the back seats. Mai followed behind her. Trunks took the passenger side again as Bulma took the controls. 

The flier lifted easily off the ground, billowing some dust, and took off towards the Capsule Corporation. 


	12. Strangers Like Me

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 12   
Strangers Like Me 

-

Mai watched as the city passed below. She twisted the hems of her sleeves with her fingers. The flier had left the damaged part of the settlement behind, the scene below appearing more calm and normal. Various types of vehicles moved up and down the streets. Natives walked along the sides of the roads, going in and out of buildings. They didn't seem to care much about the damage that was evident several streets away. 

_Are they used to such things?_ she wondered. _Did Frieza land here and cause so much destruction the people are no longer shocked by crashing ships?_

She shook her head a little. Mai didn't really want to think about what they had done. The destruction she had witnessed after jumping from the hatch still tore at her conscience. The path they had taken on their descent was clearly marked by the tumbled and scarred buildings, the long trench cut into the earth. Their escape had cost so many lives already she was beginning to question whether they should have stayed at the seraglio. 

Brussi shifted a little on the seat. Mai cast her a sideways glance. The Saiyan still had her weapon in hand. She cradled it against her chest, her eyes staying fixed on the two people in the front. Her muscles were tensed and ready to react. 

Mai decided not to disturb her. Brussi hadn't been happy about her slip regarding the state of their ship. No doubt the woman believed they should show as few weaknesses as possible. 

She supposed her friend was right. The information in the computer files had been corrupted. All they did know was that the planet had life and that the natives weren't prone to traveling off-world. The rest had been too garbled to be reliable. They didn't know how friendly the natives would be and she was sure Brussi was taking the current assistance cautiously. It was a stroke of luck that these people spoke Common, even if it was with a strange accent. 

A weak vibration rippled through the flier as it was brought to a halt. Mai looked out the window again. Below them was a grouping of domed buildings. The largest had some sort of symbols on front, but she didn't understand what it said. A green lawn surrounded the grouping and walking paths bordered the whole thing. 

With a slight bump, the blue-haired woman landed the vehicle. She turned in her seat, smiled at Brussi and Mai, saying, "All right, here we are. Everyone out." 

Then, she and the boy opened their doors and climbed out. Mai opened her door, hoping Brussi wouldn't do anything to antagonize these people. She gave her friend a quick look. 

Brussi shrugged. She nodded to the opening. "I'm coming out this side, brat. These two have a strange scent about them. No point in taking my hands off the weapon more than needed." 

The older woman used the handle of the object to nudge Mai in the back. Mai resisted a sigh and stepped down out of the flier. She moved far enough away from the door for Brussi to come out without being hindered. The Saiyan wiggled out a bit, scanned the area and came the rest of the way out, her feet thumping on the ground from the short drop. 

The native woman, Bulma, regarded Brussi with a tight little smile. Walking over to the flier, she pressed a hidden button on the outside. The vehicle vanished in a puff of smoke. 

Mai's eyes widened and Brussi swung the tip of her weapon around to point at the native. She said in a suspicious voice, "What was that? How did it disappear?" 

Bulma bent down and picked up a small round end cylinder that had appeared in place of the flier. She smirked, waving the little thing, "It's called a DynoCap. We use them here to store things. My corporation makes them. They're pretty handy to have." 

Brussi kept the weapon in position for a few seconds longer, then nodded and lowered the tip. Mai silently released her pent up breath. The boy had moved closer when Brussi had taken aim at his mother. Even without a weapon, he had seemed ready to defend Bulma. He relaxed again, scowling a bit. 

Mai wished Brussi weren't quite so reactive, though she was glad it had been nothing more than storage trick. Nameks used magic sometimes to tuck away items they didn't need right away. She supposed they both needed to expect some surprises. 

"Well then, come on you two," Bulma gestured towards the largest building. "Come inside and I'll be able to tell you what you need to know." 

Brussi considered it. Finally, she shouldered the weapon and walked to what looked to be the entrance. Mai quickly followed, glancing back at Bulma and Trunks. The two hung back. She saw the woman whisper something to the boy but couldn't hear what was said. The boy nodded. 

When Bulma noticed Mai watching, she smiled pleasantly and caught up with her visitors. The boy stuffed his hands into his pants pocket. He frowned, turned and walked to the edge of the lawn. She didn't see where he went next since the three had reached the doorway. 

Bulma had the entrance open in a second and ushered the two aliens inside. Mai looked around the rooms they were led through. The furniture was different but not too foreign. There were wooden tables, flowers in pots, chairs, pictures hung on the walls. There wasn't much sound. A faint whirring, like a motor running, carried along with currents of cooled, fresh smelling air. 

Finally, they stopped in a room that had a long table skirted by thin cushioned chairs. Two bowls holding carefully arranged flowers sat on the top. Bulma said, "Have a seat and I'll get you two something." 

Brussi tapped the barrel of her weapon against her shoulder guard. Without replying, she pulled out a chair and sat down, keeping away from the table enough to use the weapon if she had to. Mai took the chair next to Brussi. 

"Thank you. If I could have some water?" said Mai. She hoped Brussi wouldn't make a fuss over accepting the hospitality. Her throat was still dry from the heat inside the ship, making her voice whispery. 

Brussi just grunted a little. Bulma glared at the woman, then tried to smile again. She stepped over to the wall where there was a small box with a grilled front. She pressed a button on the front and said, "Kaju, we have a Saiyan and Namek visitor. Bring some refreshments to the dining room." 

"Right away, Miss Bulma," answered a tinny voice from the box. 

Bulma didn't respond. Instead, she returned to the table and sat in a chair opposite of Brussi and Mai. She clasped her hands on the top and opened her mouth to speak. 

She didn't get a chance. Footsteps approached from the doorway that she had led her two visitors through. Brussi sprang out of her chair. Whirling around, she aimed her weapon at the intruder only to stand in shock at what she saw. 

A man, shorter than she was but with a tall mass of black hair, stood inside the doorway. He wore a sleeveless black top and matching pants. Her nose twitched as it caught the scent of a fellow Saiyan. The same smell she realized now that she had detected on the other two in a lesser degree. She swept her gaze over him, trying to pin down why he looked familiar and how strong he was. 

The man crossed his arms and directed his unflinching gaze into hers. His brows were drawn down in a disapproving expression. "I don't know who you are but you seem to be forgetting you're in the presence of your Prince." 

Brussi gasped. _That's it! That face... I remember the image my parents showed me._

A rebellious voice in the back of her mind told her to stay standing. For too long she had been beaten in attempts to teach her "proper humility" for a slave. Whenever it happened, she had always forced herself to keep standing until pain or drug had caused her to collapse. She struggled with the thought, the idea of kneeling on purpose left a bitter taste in her mouth. 

Brussi clenched her jaw and slowly knelt down on one knee. The distasteful sensation of submission gradually gave way to one of excitement, similar to what she had felt when her and Mai were on route to her homeworld. When the annoying native woman had mentioned other Saiyans, she hadn't expected royalty! 

Placing her weapon at his feet, she bowed her head a little and said, "Prince Vegeta, you resemble your father, the king. My only excuse for not recognizing you sooner is that I was not born and raised on Vegetasei." 

"Hm," was his response to her disclosure. She could feel him staring down at her. She couldn't resist raising her head again so she could look him in the eye. He smirked, looking somewhat amused, and motioned for her to get up. He said, "I didn't think any other Saiyans had survived the destruction of our world." 

Brussi stood, feeling more relieved than she cared to admit, and secured her weapon to the side of her waist. Her parents had told her of the young prince they knew, his power already at an advanced level. She doubted her weapon would do very well in a fight if it came to that. The charge on it was dangerously low. 

An assortment of delicious smells drifted by, some savory, others sweet. Prince Vegeta tilted his head a fraction. Apparently deciding the conversation was over, he strode around Brussi and took the chair at the head of the table. He barely glanced at Bulma. He didn't acknowledge Mai at all even though she had stood when he had mentioned his title. 

A troupe of straight backed men in black suits came into the room carrying platters heavy with food and drink. Steaming dumplings sent swirls of vegetable scented mist into the air. Roasted chicken and beef added their meaty aroma. Light pastries topped with icing were piled high. There were also noodles in sauce, rice, pickles, fresh fruit, pitchers of iced water and spouted pots that contained some sort of hot drink. 

Brussi's mouth watered. She hadn't had a decent meal since the escape from Dokusei. The ship they had stolen had been stocked with odd tubes of paste and packages of dried foodstuff. It had been edible but not very satisfying. 

She quickly returned to her seat. Her stomach was beginning to rumble in anticipation. The heavy platters thumped as they were set down. The porcelain dishes and cups clinked together occasionally when they were placed before the guests. Brussi and Mai both doubtfully eyed the pair of wooden sticks that were placed in front of them. 

Almost before the suited men were done, Vegeta began piling food onto his plate. Bulma tapped her fingers impatiently. When it looked like he was intent on stuffing his face first, she questioned, "Vegeta, where's Goku? I thought you two were sparring today." 

"Hmph, I'm trying to eat, woman, and you want to discuss that-" 

"Yes!" Bulma flicked a grin at the visitors, then glared at Vegeta. "He might go right to the ship instead of here. He won't know the people inside aren't here to cause trouble." 

Vegeta chewed on his food, he gave Bulma a questioning look, then shrugged. "He had already left to go back to that desolate village he insists on staying in when that fool Yamcha found me. Trunks turned up a few minutes after he left. If the two don't waste time, he might be here in an hour." 

Brussi stayed silent, though she absorbed the conversation. "Goku" didn't sound like a Saiyan name. She was a bit disappointed. The native woman had said "Saiyans," as in more than one. How was she supposed to calculate their chances of defeating Frieza if they didn't all show up? 

She pushed aside the concern. No use brooding when there was a fine meal to be eaten. And if she didn't get some soon, it looked like the Prince would eat it all. He wasn't gorging, exactly, but his cheeks puffed out a little. Turning her attention back to the supper, she skipped the fruit and rice, electing to go for the beef instead. 

Navigating the food to her plate proved a little tougher than she had expected. She hadn't watched how the Prince had done it and the utensils were different than the ones on Bukisei. She shrugged, guessing the forked metal object on the platter was the tool to use, she snatched it up. Stabbing the slices of meat seemed to secure and transport them fine. Getting them off the metal utensil, however, took some shaking. 

Finally, the beef slipped off the tines and plopped onto her plate. She lightly tossed the utensil back onto the platter and picked up a bowl of noodles. It was a little messier, there being sauce and the slick pasta wanting to slide off the utensil, but she got most of it where she wanted it. Those were followed by some cooked vegetables of some sort and a few pieces of the pastry. 

Brussi surveyed the other dishes and decided that she had a good start. Her gaze caught the expressions on the two planet inhabitants. The Prince had stopped eating, stared at her for a few seconds, then went back to his food. The native Bulma blinked, wide eyed. The look was quickly replaced with a normal one and she sipped from a cup. 

Brussi resisted the urge to challenge them. Her pride was stung that they had looked at her like some sort of child who didn't know her manners. She knew the rough ones of the shipyard she had grown up in and the fine ones of the seraglio. But neither had included being taught how to use these sorts of instruments. 

Intent on burying the uneasy warmth inside, she glanced toward Mai. The Namek hadn't taken any of the food. She was drinking contentedly from a glass of water. Brussi picked out a fat orange fruit from a bowl and set it on Mai's empty plate. She said in a stern, low voice, "I know you have eaten anything for the last three days, brat. Don't make me force this down your throat." 

Mai protested in a whisper, "Brussi, I-" 

Choked laughter interrupted. Both Brussi and Mai turned to Vegeta to see him swallow his food and smirk. He seemed fairly amused. "You really have been cut off. Nameks don't need to eat." 

The warmth inside Brussi's chest rose to her throat and threatened to sneak into her cheeks. She was disgusted with herself. She had endured worse taunts from both Old Nobe and his cronies as well as the pig Seisan and his lackeys. Any shame she had once possessed had been burned away long ago. 

Yet this short Prince managed to dig in those embers and stir a small portion of its ghost. She didn't like that weakness at all. 

"Nameks can eat, if they choose to," said Mai firmly. Brussi looked at her from the corner of her eyes. Mai didn't return the glance but kept her intent gaze on Vegeta. Her face was serious as she continued, "I eat quite regularly, or used to. I happen to enjoy it." 

Vegeta didn't appear at all convinced. He chuckled again as if it were some joke. Mai picked up a bowl of rice and scooped some of it into a smaller one beside her plate. Picking up the smaller bowl, she gave the Prince a thin smile. She hesitated only a second before picking up the wooden sticks. Her grip on them was clumsy, so she ate slowly. 

Vegeta stopped chuckling. He grimaced and said, "If you die from that, I'm throwing your body outside! Don't think we're going to be bothered with burying your green corpse." 

He pushed away his plate, not seeming too happy with the sight of an eating Namek. Mai continued for that reason alone. Her love of food had diminished, though possibly it was temporary, so she didn't actually care much for the taste of the plain rice. But she couldn't resist tweaking Vegeta's nose for his comment. 

The Saiyan Prince scowled at her, then faced Brussi again and stated, "My son said you came here looking for Frieza." 

Mai inhaled some bits of rice. If Brussi had been eating, she might have been in the same predicament. As it was, she covered her surprise by slapping the coughing Mai on the back, though she quickly returned her attention to Vegeta. 

"That's right," she ground out. "I don't care how long ago it was he destroyed our planet. I want revenge for that!" 

"Heh." The Prince grinned almost wickedly. "Well, I'm afraid you're a little late for that. He was killed years ago." 

Brussi stopped pounding Mai's back, an occurrence the Namek was very grateful for. Mai sipped at her water and winced at the stinging her friend had caused. She didn't think Brussi had realized her slapping had become much harder when Vegeta had mentioned Frieza. She was also reeling a bit from hearing the enemy that had spent weeks travelling to find was dead. She was both disappointed and relieved. 

"Killed?" Brussi leaned forward. She flattened her palms onto the table top. "How? By who? Was it you?" 

The grin faded, leaving a more solemn look behind on Vegeta's face. "No, he was first thought killed by another Saiyan. He came back, a half machine freak, and was truly defeated by my son." 

"_Our_ son," Bulma put in. She set her cup down and frowned at Vegeta. 

Brussi tried not to show her confusion. The lavender hair boy, if that was the only son in the family, certainly didn't seem strong enough to defeat a powerful enemy. She also felt cheated. She clenched her fists. The greatest enemy of the Saiyan race and he gets defeated by a _boy_? 

"I don't understand," Mai said, having recovered from her accident. "Do you mean the youth Trunks we met?" 

Bulma nodded, then commented, "It was his future self. That is, he came from an alternate future to warn us about another danger and defeated Frieza at the same time." 

Mai didn't have any qualms about showing her uncertainty. Before she could ask anything more, Vegeta stood. He stated, "It's over and done. If this little circus is finished, I'm going to train." 

Whether or not anyone else's objections would have mattered to his decision, the Saiyan Prince didn't stay to hear them. He strode quickly from the room. 

"That man," muttered Bulma. She went back to sipping from her cup. 

Brussi stared after him for a moment. She didn't like the somewhat lost feeling his announcement had inspired. _Feh... so Frieza is dead. We'll just move on..._ Though where they would move on to, she didn't know. It didn't seem there were too many Saiyans left. The cooling food on her plate drew her attention again. Picking up the wooden sticks, she did her best to imitate what Mai had done. After a few tries, she got it well enough to get the food to her mouth. 

Mai sat silent again. She abandoned the rest of the rice and drank her water instead. More footsteps approached from the doorway the Prince had left by. These, she noticed, were heavier but quieter. She wondered who else they were about to meet. Putting down her glass, she turned to look at the newcomer. 

Mai nearly fell out of her chair as an imposing green skinned figure stated, "Trunks said there was something here I should see." 


	13. Above the Clouds

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 13   
Above the Clouds 

-

"Piccolo!" Bulma set down her cup with a loud _clink_ and rose from her chair. Brussi and Mai followed suit. Brussi gripped the handle of her weapon, though she didn't remove it from it's place on her hip. Her expression made it clear she didn't trust this newest stranger. Mai couldn't help looking a little bemused. She started twisting her sleeve hems absently. 

Bulma motioned to the women, smiling a little, "These two are Brussi and Mai, the ones who where in the crashed ship." 

Mai stood still as Piccolo swept his gaze over her and her friend. The tall Namek had his arms crossed. The caped shoulder pads forced him to stand at an angle within the doorframe. He didn't give much attention to the Saiyan, his expression was wary but not overly so. If he was concerned at all about her weapon, he didn't show it. Instead, he seemed to dismiss Brussi as a threat. 

His focus settled on Mai. She could see a glimmer of suspicion in his eyes, his face drawn into a slight frown. He didn't blink or turn away when she stared back at him. She found she couldn't keep the contact up for long. It felt like he was trying to probe her heart and soul and force out any deception with the power of his gaze alone. 

Mai averted her eyes a little. She had the strangest urge to pull her vest closed or conjure up another layer or two of cloth. She stared at his chest, though she didn't find the sight of his muscled arms much more comforting. A little bit of fear bubbled through her. A whispery little voice in her mind commented, _He knows you're female, he's not stupid like that Emperor..._

She bit the inside of her cheek, her mouth taking on the taste of metal and salt. The sharp pain made her wince slightly. She touched the small gash with her tongue and felt it heal. It shook her from her thoughts. She found herself breathing a little too quickly. 

Forcing her feelings to calm, Mai bowed her head and said, "My name is Mai, brother. My mother, Rea, was a refugee from the disaster on our planet a few hundred years ago." 

She thought she heard a quick intake of breath, but when she glanced up his face held the same expression as before. Mai dropped her gaze back to his broad chest. Her fingers started picking at some loose threads on her sleeve ends. 

The silence lasted a few more seconds, then Piccolo uncrossed his arms and turned back the way he came. He said over his shoulder, "Follow me." 

He didn't wait for an answer, simply strode away. Mai blinked and stared after him. She looked back at Brussi, unsure of what to do. His terse statement hadn't been an arrogant command but it had implied he wasn't used to being questioned. 

Brussi's frown deepened. Her hand was still tightly gripping the weapon handle. She shook her head quickly. The silent gesture advised caution. 

Bulma walked briskly around the table, coming to Mai's side. She placed a hand on the Namek's arm. Pulling Mai forward, she said, "Don't worry. Piccolo isn't as tough as he seems." 

She followed the statement with a bright smile and what seemed to be a forced laugh. Mai didn't think the woman was as convinced as she tried to sound. She found it hard to resist Bulma's urging and followed with one last confused look to Brussi. Brussi growled but didn't stop them, choosing to tag along behind them. The weapon was retrieved from its place on her hip and she once again held it ready to aim. 

The trio quickly traveled to the outdoors again, Bulma setting a fast pace. Piccolo stood a few paces away from the entrance. His arms were crossed again and his feet were spaced a little apart. He appeared somewhat tensed, like he was readying for a confrontation. 

Bulma continued to pull Mai forward until they were halfway to the male Namek. At that point, she switched to pushing instead. She smiled again, "You two will want to talk privately." 

She gave Mai a quick pat on the arm and headed back to the Corporation building. Bulma glanced at Brussi, who was scowling now, but Mai couldn't see the native woman's expression or hear if she said anything. Mai signaled to Brussi to stay where she was. The Saiyan bared her teeth. She held her ground, though she kept the weapon up. 

Mai returned her attention to the other Namek. She took a steady breath and approached until she was standing before him. She flicked her gaze up to his eyes, then let it fall again to his chest. His stare was still a little too much for her to take. 

"You say your mother was a female Namek." His deep voice was surprisingly neutral for all the wariness in his stance. 

Mai nodded. It had been more a statement than a question, but she thought he wanted confirmation regardless. 

"And you? Are you some hybrid?" The voice didn't fluctuate, still sounding calm and only partly demanding. 

Mai shook her head. She kept her eyes lowered, hoping that would help ease the jittery feeling in her stomach. "I am completely, Namek, brother. I was egg-born, I had no _Pida._" 

Piccolo didn't comment on that. She wondered if he held to the faint prejudice that some had felt towards egg-birth. The thought that he might saddened her a little, though she could understand. Even being born in that manner herself, she felt the natural way was better. It conflicted with the respect she felt for her mother and wasn't something she had ever managed to reconcile. 

"Hmph." Piccolo closed the gap between the two of them. He studied once Mai more. 

Mai found herself suddenly flipped around, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and her back crushed against the male Namek's chest. The ground dropped away quickly from her feet. She dug her nails into Piccolo's arm, her stomach lurched as she was dragged upwards. 

At first she thought he was picking her up, though she didn't know why, but then she saw she was much higher than he could possibly lift her and his own feet dangled inches lower than her own. The fear from earlier returned. She struggled against his hold. 

Mai heard a sharp _zap zap_ and Piccolo jerked quickly to one side. He whirled around. Mai's head spun as he did. She wondered momentarily if she threw up her rice dinner whether he would drop her or not. Her stomach certainly felt keen for the task. She focused her eyes on the source of their turnabout. 

Brussi stood on the ground, her weapon aimed up at Mai's abductor. She glared at Piccolo. She ground out, "Better let her go, Namek, or I'll see how well you heal from a blast to the head!" 

Piccolo growled. He raised his free hand and a small ball of light gathered in his palm. The glowing object quickly sped away towards Brussi. The Saiyan barely had time for her eyes to widen before the ki blast tore into her weapon. The gun exploded, knocking Brussi backwards onto the grassy lawn. 

"Brussi!" Mai resumed her struggling. Piccolo's arm gripped her tighter. He turned away and continued his flight up into the sky. Mai pounded on his arm with her fists. "Let me go! How dare you attack my friend that way! She was only worried!" 

"She's not hurt," Piccolo responded in an annoyed tone. "And quit struggling." 

"Let me go!" Mai kicked Piccolo's legs. He countered by growling and gripping her even tighter, making it hard to breathe. She gasped, her heart was racing now, the combination with lack of oxygen had her dizzy and close to hyperventilating. She couldn't suppress the rising panic. The little voice was screeching now, _He's strong, too strong! He's taken away your only protection!_

Mai's vision went fuzzy. She raked her nails across his arm, digging as deep into the skin as she could. They didn't cause more than scratches, but she continued, her frenzy fed by the sight of the flowing blood. She renewed her kicking with vigor and tried to twist out of his grasp. Feral little roars erupted from her throat. 

"Grrr... stop that!" Piccolo demanded. He sounded beyond annoyed now. He squeezed her again. That simply enraged her more. He growled and tapped her neck with the edge of his hand. Darkness quickly followed. 

The next thing Mai felt was her head thumping lightly against tile. Her body soon joined it, coming to rest on the smooth surface. One arm was pinned under her and the other draped over her side. She grit her teeth. A dull ache radiated from the base of her skull. For a moment, she wondered if she was still on the floor of the seraglio hall and the memories of the days since were some sort of delusion. 

She opened her eyes a sliver, bright light caused her to wince as it intensified the pain in her head. White tile stretched before her, the expanse broken up by twin rows of trees and flowers. What looked to be a small palace was situated at the other end. 

Two figures stood a little bit away. The tall one she recognized as Piccolo. He was rubbing his left arm, which had some blood dripping from it. The purple liquid formed polka dot pools on the creamy tile at his feet. She gasped as she observed the features of the other. 

He wasn't as tall as Piccolo, perhaps only a little taller than Mai herself. His green skin was a lighter hue, his body the slender type of a non-warrior. He wore a white robe and violet vest. 

_A-another... Namek?_ Mai blinked as she watched the new Namek place his hands over Piccolo's wounded arm. A familiar, warm light gathered and spread in waves over the injuries. The skin was quickly healed. Piccolo crossed his arms again after the other pulled his hands away. They were talking now, though Mai couldn't understand what was being said. 

The shorter male Namek nodded to Piccolo, then turned his attention to Mai. He didn't seem to be surprised she was awake. He came over to her and held out a hand. His gentle voice said, "Let me help you up." 

Mai took his hand. She used the leverage to help free her pinned arm and managed to get to her feet without wobbling too much. The ache in her head had faded now. She found herself looking right into the other's eyes. 

"Thank you, brother," she said with a little bow. "I am called Mai. May I have your name?" 

The other Namek chuckled, not unkindly. He said, "My name is Dende. You don't have to be that formal." 

Mai's fingers caught the edges of her sleeves. She tugged on the cloth, frowning a little. She was beginning to wonder how many others there were. A cautious hope flickered to life. "I thought all other Nameks were dead. How many more are there?" 

Dende looked a little startled at that question. He said carefully, "There are a few hundred living on New Nameksei." 

"A few... hundred?" Mai felt light headed. Her eyes stung with tears, though she didn't know if it was joy over the fact her people had survived the disaster and Frieza or sorrow that there were so few left out of many thousands. "Please, tell me... I knew of the attack and the storms, but how did this all happen?" 

Dende glanced at Piccolo, then back to Mai. He came to her side and placed his hand lightly on her arm. "Why don't we go inside? My companion, Mr. Popo, can bring us some water or tea." 

Mai nodded her agreement. She didn't look at Piccolo again. For some reason, Dende made her feel safe, calm. She knew if she turned her gaze to the taller Namek she would lose all sense of peace. Dende guided her to the palace. The near silent footsteps of Piccolo came behind them. 

Mai studied the building as they stepped inside. She couldn't help but shiver because, in some ways, the airy palace reminded her of the seraglio. Cool tile and marble had been the same materials the Emperor had used. There weren't any gem studded panels or vast arrays of exotic plants here, though. And the light seemed to come mostly from the sunlight streaming through the arches and windows. 

She thought this palace, even though spartan, had a warmer and more calming feel. 

Dende led the other two into a dining area. It had a simple wooden table and chairs for furniture. He pulled out a chair, inviting Mai to sit down. She thanked him quietly. She settled into the chair as the other two chose their seats. Dende sat to her side and Piccolo took position across the table from Mai. 

She kept her gaze on Dende, refusing to really look in Piccolo's direction. She tugged more on her sleeves as she wondered whether he would get annoyed with her again. A round, ebony skinned man came into the room, drawing her attention. He looked over the visitors and said, "What would you like Mr. Popo to bring?" 

"Mai, anything you would like?" asked Dende. He smiled gently. 

"Um... water will be fine," she murmured, not at all sure her stomach could handle more. 

Dende turned to face Mr. Popo. He said, "We'll all have water, Mr. Popo." 

Mai thought it was a bit odd that Dende didn't even ask what Piccolo wanted. Perhaps he visited enough for them to know what he usually requested. They sat in silence for the short time it took the servant to bring their glasses of water. He also brought a full pitcher. Setting down the items, he asked once more, "Is there anything else, Mr. Popo can do?" 

"No... wait. Yes, would you set up a room for our guest, Mai," Dende said. Mai squirmed a little, not sure she wanted to stay here. Dende gave her a reassuring look. "She'll need a place to stay, I think." 

Mai bit her lip. She worried what was happening with Brussi. The Saiyan wasn't going to sit quietly until she returned. It was possible she was going to cause trouble with the Prince and Bulma. But before she could bring up those concerns, Mr. Popo had nodded and left. 

She supposed she would need to wait. Right now, she did want to hear about her people. She looked at Dende questioningly. 

Dende took a sip of his water, then said, "I should start with the storms. Piccolo told me your mother was sent off world." 

"Yes, she was," confirmed Mai. 

"Hmm... the storms were very bad. Many of the plants and animals died," he paused, "The Namek-jin suffered greatly as well. The number surviving on the planet was one." 

"One! How can that be?" Mai said. She pulled a little too hard on her sleeve and a small rip appeared. She didn't notice it as she was trying to understand how only one could survive but there be hundreds now. "Were the others sent off world, too? I didn't realize there had been so many." 

Dende shook his head. "That one survivor became the Great Elder of our people. On his own he managed to start rebuilding our race." 

Mai thought about this. A notion finally presented itself. "Egg-birth?" 

"Yes," replied Dende. "It was stressful for him and he suffered in the end for it. But he saved our people from extinction." 

"And Frieza?" 

Dende sighed. "He came to our planet looking for the dragon balls. He killed our people in his quest. A hero named Goku fought him, but to defeat him at that time, he had to use all of his power. The planet was destroyed as a result of the battle." 

Mai lowered her gaze to the table. She picked at her sleeves more. She carried the old memories, so she understood how greedy people might search out the magical spheres. This, along with what she had been told at Bulma's, helped her to start piecing together the story. "How did the other Nameks come to be? Did someone else continue the Great Elder's work?" 

"No," Dende said, he sounded a little more cheerful. "There were dragon balls here too. Friends here used those to resurrect the people killed by Frieza and used the ones from Namek to send them here." 

Mai looked at Dende, confused. He chuckled again. "I don't think I'm doing a very good job. Maybe I should start over." 

The next hour or so was spent with Dende detailing what had happened with Frieza. He was patient when Mai stopped him at times to ask questions. Piccolo shifted occasionally in his chair. He didn't touch his water. Mai felt he wasn't happy with the time it was taking to explain things, but he didn't interrupt. 

Finally, Mai understood what had happened. She sat back in her chair, a bit shocked. All the Nameks now had been egg-born. Because the survivor had been male, there were no females left. At least, none that were known to survive. Except for her. 

She pulled more threads from the hems of her sleeves. Her chest felt tight, a squeezing sort of sensation that almost pained her. She could feel the thin layer of sweat on her skin as gentle air currents cooled her. A shiver kept rippling through her. 

She was the only female left. 

Mai nearly jumped out of her seat when Dende's voice reached through her stunned thoughts, "Ah... you look a little pale, Mai. I know this must be a lot for you. Why don't you go rest in the room Mr. Popo fixed for you?" 

Dende came over to her as he spoke. He patted her lightly on the shoulder. His smile was meant to be comforting. 

Mai didn't feel comforted. She wanted to run... hide. She wasn't even sure why, only knew that the thought of being the last made her feel cold. Her gaze flit from Dende to Piccolo. Near terror shot through her. She couldn't stay here, not in this room anyway. She wanted to leave but she would have to rely on the warrior for that and right now she couldn't even face the thought. 

Mai stood quickly and nodded. She swallowed though her throat was suddenly dry. Her voice shook a little. The words rushed out, "I-I'll go find him, myself. Thank you for the hospitality." 

She gave both a fast bow, then ran for the nearest door. The command in Piccolo's tone stopped her, "Mai." 

She wanted to kick herself for the automatic reaction as she looked back at the large male. She didn't trust her voice to acknowledge him. 

Piccolo had risen from his chair and was standing a few feet away. He glanced at Mai's arms. He observed, "Maybe you shouldn't wear sleeves." 

Mai looked down to find the cloth of the hems shredded and frayed. Threads dangled from the tortured fabric. She made a strangled sound, turned and raced away, her face burning with embarrassment, shame and fear. 


	14. Second Class Citizen

_**Author's Note:** A temp note to state some minor changes in previous chapters. Chapters 9 and 10 have been switched to provide better continuity, author's notes in the first chapter have been revamped, and I've added the Piccolo and Vegeta tags for search purposes (let's hope I don't get lynched for making people wait to see them)._

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNImation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 14   
Second Class Citizen 

-

Piccolo watched quietly as the female Namek ran from the room. He didn't understand why she had flushed at his comment about the sleeves. It had been obvious she was nervous. If she had a habit of ruining her robes like that, there was no reason she should waste time repairing or wearing the cloth. A simple solution was to go sleeveless. 

He mentally shrugged off the thought. He was more concerned over the fear that had sprung up at the end of Dende's explanation. The woman had already known the bare facts. It didn't make sense for the details to suddenly spook her. And she had shown she could react violently when afraid. His skin itched a little in memory of the scratches she had left him with. He had no idea how she would react if he tried to fly her back to Capsule Corp. It annoyed him that she might cause more trouble. 

He also had that Saiyan friend of hers to deal with, too. 

Piccolo turned his head towards Dende. He kept his voice low, in case the female Mai might still be close enough to overhear, "So, is she what she claims to be?" 

Dende nodded slowly. He frowned now, "I wasn't sure how she would react to a full probing, but I think the little I did was enough. She's either a pure Namek or close enough for me not to tell a difference." 

"Hm." Piccolo strode away from the door, heading back to the table. He stood by the chair he had used in but didn't sit down. He thought for a moment, then continued, "I don't think we can trust her. She seems to get upset over nothing and has enough power to hurt someone." 

Dende stroked his chin as he considered that. He tilted his head a bit to one side. "I don't know, Piccolo. I'd say what we know that she has gone through could be upsetting enough... But you're right about her hurting someone. I think she should stay here for a few days, until I can learn more about her past." 

Piccolo looked at Dende, questioning a little harshly, "And if she goes on a rampage here?" 

Dende shrugged slightly. He tried to look unconcerned. "I think Popo and I can deal with it. Once I know more, I might be able to figure out how to help her." 

Piccolo growled low in his throat and said, "Dende, you can't take the chance she'll attack you." 

An expression reminiscent of the old Kami settled on his young replacement's face. The sort of look that silently and blandly asked if his wisdom and authority in a matter was being questioned. Piccolo hated that look. He'd seen it often enough from his sire's other half. He wondered if Popo was responsible for teaching Dende to do that. 

Instinct and habit pushed him to say, "I don't think you understand, Dende, so I'll be sticking around in case she does." 

Dende blinked, appearing startled. He said, "But don't you see, Piccolo? She's afraid of you." 

Piccolo's mouth twisted a bit. He was used to people being afraid of him, that she was a Namek herself didn't really matter. But he supposed Dende was right in one sense. The more agitated Mai was, the more likely she would turn on one of them. "Hmph. Fine, I'll stay out of sight." 

Dende didn't argue, realizing he wasn't going to convince Piccolo to change his mind. Instead, he hoped he could get a small compromise. "Piccolo, I think maybe you should return to Capsule Corp. Just to reassure Mai's friend." 

Piccolo grunted at that. He was certain the Saiyan woman wouldn't be happy when he came back without Mai. It would also mean leaving Dende and Popo alone with the female Namek. His mind would have been eased a great deal if Goku had shown up, but he hadn't and Piccolo wasn't sure where the warrior was. 

He raised his head up a notch, searching out Mai with his ki sense. She was barely detectable now. He thought she seemed less agitated, though not anywhere near calm. He shifted his gaze to Dende and made his decision. 

"All right," he agreed gruffly. "I'm going back. I want to find Goku. We should be on guard in case anyone else decides to crash on the planet." 

Dende smiled again. "Don't worry, Popo and I will be fine." 

Piccolo didn't respond to that, he turned and headed out of the room. It wasn't long before he was outside again. He strode about halfway across the platform, then pushed off into the air. He let his ki rise high and used it to speed his journey back. He needed to do this as quickly as possible. 

It still took nearly a half hour for him to get back to West City. He tried to contact Goku telepathically a few times, but the fighter wasn't active enough for Piccolo to track his ki. Piccolo abandoned the task as he approached Capsule Corp. 

The Saiyan woman was standing in the middle of the lawn. Neither Bulma or Vegeta was with her. She was busy scanning the sky, waiting for his return. When she caught sight of him, she raised a bandaged fist and started yelling at him. Piccolo didn't understand most of what Brussi screamed, but he figured it wasn't meant to be nice. He landed a few feet in front of the enraged woman. 

Brussi didn't give him a chance to speak. She launched herself at him, her good fist aimed for his stomach. 

"You green bastard," she bellowed, "Where is Mai?" 

Piccolo caught her fist easily. She sent a swift kick into his side. He grunted and backhanded her, releasing her hand at the same time so he wouldn't hurt her more than necessary. Brussi's head snapped to the side. She stumbled away a little, falling to her knees. Raising a hand to her bruised cheek, she turned back to face Piccolo and growled. 

He tensed at the expression on her face. Her eyes were wild and furious. She pushed to her feet, then switched to an attack stance. Brussi came at him again, this time using both fists to strike out. Piccolo dodged the punches. When she tried to kick at him, he moved before her foot could land on its target. He scowled at her. This was becoming annoying very quickly. 

"Stop attacking," he demanded. 

Brussi didn't obey. She increased the speed of her strikes, trying to get a hit. Anger caused her face to flush. A fist aimed for his chin barely missed. She followed with a knee off center into his stomach. That one connected. 

Piccolo grunted again. This woman wasn't about to stop, so he struck back. He sent his closed fist hard into her solar plexus. Brussi gagged and dropped to her knees. Piccolo stepped back in case the woman retched. She certainly looked like she might. Her mouth was hanging open, pain contorting her features. 

Brussi gasped for breath. She crossed her arms over her bruised stomach. Disbelief was crawling through her thoughts. She had figured the Namek for a warrior, he certainly had the defined bulk of one. The blast he had sent at her weapon earlier had caused it to explode. But it hadn't done more than singe her hand. She could have dodged it if she had known he could use ki. Her estimate had placed him higher than herself, though not so high that she didn't stand a chance against him. 

Anger at her weakness burned inside her heart. Brussi had fought two battles and won them, her arrogance had convinced her that meant she hadn't lost her fighting ability. Brussi barely lifted her gaze when Piccolo began to speak again. She feared he would see her self-loathing and the tears that misted her vision. 

"Your friend Mai is safe," he bit out. A growl seemed to edge his words. "She's with another Namek named Dende, who is the Guardian of this planet. She'll be staying with him-" 

Brussi's head snapped up at that. She glared at him and bared her teeth. Her voice was thick with the pain she felt, both from her body and her mind, "Why? Why are you holding her prisoner? If you don't free her immediately, I'll use my bare hands to rip this planet apart!" 

The boast caused the Namek warrior to glower at Brussi, but a part of her was grateful he didn't laugh. His voice was rough and impatient when he answered. "Dende will help her with her past and teach her about the Namek history she's missed." 

Piccolo kept to himself the fact that Dende had made the decision initially because of Mai's attack. She would be too dangerous if she ended up among humans. The Namek female might also get hurt, either by a human or one of the protectors of the planet. Brussi he didn't worry about. She was brash but in control. Besides, Vegeta would probably relish the chance to mold her into a real Saiyan warrior. 

Brussi still frowned at him. She rubbed a hand under her ribs. The armor was cracked a bit where he had hit. Even though the punch had been solid, there hadn't been enough force behind it to cause real damage to her body. She suspected, though, that he had held back. 

Brussi pushed herself up off the ground. Her legs were shaky but she forced them to stand. Crossing her arms, she tried to appear unconcerned over her loss in the fight. "I suppose I'll trust you, Namek... _if_ you take me to Mai. I want to see for myself this Dende who wants to help her." 

Piccolo scowled at her. Turning his back to her, he said, "I'm not a taxi service. If you want to see her, borrow a plane or learn to fly yourself." 

He pushed off into the air, flying away quickly. Brussi sent a few swears up at him. "You bastard! Get your green ass back here! Grrrrrrrr... Coward! _KuRas fakkun_!" 

"Don't waste your breath," said a rough voice from behind her. Brussi turned and saw Vegeta lounging against the outer wall of the main Capsule Corp. building. He didn't appear to be very pleased. His arms were folded over his chest. 

Brussi straightened to her full height. She resisted mimicking his stance, he would probably take it as an offense. So she placed her hands on her hip guards. Trying not to sound too demanding, she said, "If I could have one of your fliers, Prince Vegeta, I could see if he is lying to me." 

"Hmph. He's not lying, woman," Vegeta replied. "He has no reason to. What does it matter if that female Namek stays with the brat Dende? A Saiyan warrior has more important things to attend to." 

Brussi clenched her jaw, fighting the retort that wanted to spring to her lips. She suddenly saw her behavior in a different light. It was laughable for a fighter to become so emotional over an ally. She should have been planning her next move, deciding whether to stay here and serve her Prince or leave to seek glory for herself. Having petty arguments with others wouldn't help either case. 

A thin sort of guilt tried to wriggle into her thoughts, but she suppressed it. They had both known that when they found their people their paths would split. The Namek had been taken to someone who could connect her with her race in some way. And Prince Vegeta was her link to the Saiyans. 

"What things should I be attending to, Your Highness?" she asked, hoping he might suggest something worthwhile. She didn't have much knowledge of this planet or any other that might offer a decent goal. 

"Training!" Vegeta said without hesitation. His voice took on a disgusted air. "I saw your fight with Piccolo. That was pathetic. Your ki was so low I could hardly detect it over his." 

Brussi nearly flinched at the statement. She had known she fought poorly. The discovery that Prince Vegeta had witnessed her disgrace made it worse. Swallowing her pride, she admitted, "I was taken from my parents at the age of four. There wasn't much time for training during my slave days." 

Vegeta glared at her as if such a paltry thing wouldn't have kept a true Saiyan from learning, or escaping from imprisonment. Brussi didn't let herself look away, instead she met his steady gaze. The Prince finally smirked and said, "Then let's see what you can do. If it's promising enough, I just might teach you myself." 

Brussi grinned wide. She had been hoping Vegeta would agree to a fight. At the very least, she could observe some of his techniques. She hopped backwards until she was in the middle of the lawn. They would need some space to do this properly. 

Vegeta smirked again, amused. He let his arms drop to his sides and walked with casual grace to a spot not too far away from his opponent. He waited as she chose her starting position, not bothering to take a stance himself. When she didn't move, he raised his hand palm up and flexed his fingers in a silent command for her to attack. 

Brussi had learned from her defeat. She didn't rush in this time. She didn't know Vegeta's strength or his favored strategies. The fact that he hadn't bothered to assume any sort of stance was both insulting and disconcerting. Chiding herself for letting his arrogance get to her, she decided and struck. 

Brussi aimed her right hand at his heart. It was an easy move to dodge, but to do so he would have to twist his torso. That was when she planned to drive her left fist into his kidney. 

She never got close. Vegeta moved his hand to a palm out position, quickly gathered his ki and shot the blast into Brussi's midsection. She flew back, skidding along the ground. She came to a stop after a few feet. Gasping in pain, she clutched at her stomach. Bits of the armor broke away. 

Vegeta lowered his hand. He strode over to her and looked down. His mouth was pinched tight with dissatisfaction. "That was a pitiful attack. You should have led with ki strikes until you learned some of my moves. If this is your best, it's no wonder you were a slave for so long." 

The bitter taste of humiliation mixed with the metallic tang of blood in Brussi's mouth. Her breathing hitched from the throbbing in her gut. She didn't think she was critically injured. Vegeta had intended to test her... not kill her. She suspected he had calculated the force of his attack to emphasize his lesson without causing permanent damage. The two blows from each of her opponents that day was enough to keep her from fighting for a while. 

She'd be left with plenty of time to dwell on her mistakes. 

"_If_ you can crawl your way into the building, have Bulma show you to the infirmary," Vegeta sneered. "Maybe I'll be in a good enough mood by the time you heal to try this again." 

"Y-yes, Prince Vegeta," Brussi managed to hiss. He didn't acknowledge her response. He strode away, out of her field of vision. The _thump thump_ of his boots on dirt and grass faded along with her consciousness. 


	15. Live for Fun

_**Author's Note:** It's the Piccolo gets nekkid chapter, wooo! I admit, this was written very tongue-in-cheek. I don't know if this chapter will survive the rewrite, but hey, for now it's here._

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNimation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 15   
Live For Fun 

-

A white and purple clad figure flew effortlessly through the air. The cape draped from his shoulders rustled and snapped in the wind created by the movement. Clouds parted as the person dove into them, the faint aura around him pushing the vapor away. Piccolo scanned the ground below. His eyes and ki sense were focused on one task: finding Goku. 

The Saiyan warrior hadn't shown up either at Capsule Corp. or Dende's. Trunks hadn't returned as well. Piccolo had found that out with a quick ki sweep when he had gone back to speak with Brussi. There hadn't been even a lingering trace if they had come and gone. 

The absence didn't sit well with Piccolo. It wasn't like Goku to stay away if there was a threat. That Trunks was also missing just added to the tension he felt. 

Three familiar ki signatures drew his attention. They weren't flying, but were ahead, on the ground. Piccolo increased his speed and soon had the errant warriors in sight. Trunks was running around the perimeter of a large herd of mud covered cattle. The distressed _moo_ of the bovine were loud enough to reach Piccolo's ears. Another, younger boy with a mohawk was mirroring Trunks' actions on the other side of the group of animals. 

Goku himself was knee-deep in a mud hole the size of a small lake. One of the cattle was mired near the center, lowing pitifully. Piccolo descended until he was hovering several feet above the surface. His nose wrinkled as the pungent odor of cow, mud and sweat drifted around him. 

Goku looked up, waved and said cheerfully, "Hey, Piccolo! What are you doing here?" 

Piccolo grimaced as more of the foul smell wafted up. He sent a pointed look at Trunks. The teen caught the gesture and stuffed his hands into his pockets. His expression was sullen and his lavender hair was plastered with enough mud that it was hard to tell the color. A yell from the other boy drew his attention. Trunks yelped as the cattle began wandering off in different directions. He ran back, trying to keep the animals from stampeding away. 

Piccolo frowned and returned his gaze to Goku, finally replying, "When you didn't show up I thought maybe there were enemies keeping you." 

"Huh?" Goku appeared confused for a moment, then his expression brightened again. "Oh! No, since I didn't feel any high power levels, I figured you and Vegeta had it handled." 

Goku reached down under the belly of the cow and out a wide, filthy strip of something. He hopped over the creature's back, trailing the long strap. His feet sunk down with a wet _splurtch_ into the soft mud on the other side. He reached down again and brought up another strip. 

Piccolo didn't bother to keep his disgust from showing. Wallowing in stinking muck wasn't what he would consider very dignified for a warrior. His voice was curt as he asked, "So you decided it wasn't important enough to come?" 

"Don't be so harsh, Piccolo," Goku said, grinning. He tugged on the strips in his hands, nodded and floated upwards. "You and Vegeta can handle about anything I can. Besides, Dende contacted me a while ago and said there wasn't anything to worry about." 

"He what?" Piccolo glared at Goku, though his anger was directed more at the younger Guardian. So Dende had known before he had even left the reason why Goku hadn't come. _Damn it, that kid is becoming more like Kami every day_, he grumbled to himself. 

Goku continued, not seeming to have noticed Piccolo's irritation, "Trunks, Uub and I were coming until we came across this herd. The poor things were stuck in the mud." 

Goku nodded towards the cow still standing in the large mud hole. The Saiyan rose higher into the air, pulling the straps he held tight. He continued his ascent, the straps stretched then lifted the animal out of the filth. The cow mooed again and flailed its legs. 

"Hey, easy there," Goku said to the frightened animal. The straps were wound around his hands but they were slick. He gripped them tighter. "Don't worry, I'll let you down carefully. Then you and your friends can go home." 

He continued floating upwards until he was level with Piccolo. He flashed a grin at his friend. "I think the ship coming down might have spooked them." 

Piccolo really didn't care at the moment. He was too irritated with Dende and that awful smell wasn't helping his mood. He couldn't help covering his nose with his hand as more of the stench came off both Goku and the animal. Trying not to breathe more than he had to, he said, "I'm going back to Dende." 

Piccolo backed off and had turned to leave when he heard a sharp _riiip_. He whirled around in time to see one of the straps give way under the weight of the cow. The helpless creature plummeted. 

"No!" shouted Goku. He plunged downwards, using his speed to come under the cow. He managed to catch the animal but couldn't stop himself from being smacked into the mud below. Struggling against the suction of the muck, he wiggled up until he could poke his head out into the air. The side of the cow pressed against the back of his neck. 

Goku opened one eye. He peered at Piccolo, who was still floating above the mud hole. He couldn't help grinning and chuckling a little at his green friend. Piccolo's front side was plastered with the smelly filth. The Namek warrior had his hands fisted at his sides. His brows were drawn low. 

Goku grinned more and asked, "Think you could give me a hand, Piccolo?" 

Piccolo snarled, baring his fangs. His first inclination was to leave the Saiyan where he was. It wouldn't take long for him to dig his way out. It would certainly serve him right for choosing to play savior to a herd of cattle. But Piccolo's own better nature won out and he extended his hand. Using his innate Namekian magic, he levitated the cow and set it down on solid ground. 

Goku flared his ki, pushing the mud away and freeing himself. He flew back up to Piccolo. Slapping the Namek on his shoulder, he said, "Thanks, Piccolo. I wasn't sure how I was going to get us out without frightening the cow more." 

Piccolo grumbled something, but Goku couldn't catch the words. The Namek's cheeks had taken on a purplish hue. Piccolo turned and this time managed to get away before something else happened. He heard Goku shout a cheery, "Goodbye!" 

The mud caked on Piccolo's clothes and skin dried as he flew. He swiped at the offending mess, trying to dislodge some of it. He couldn't go back like this. Even if he conjured up new cloth, the smell would linger on his body. His nose wrinkled at the revolting thought. Studying the ground below, he tried to find an isolated river or lake. 

A glimmer of clear blue off to the right caught his eye. He altered his course and headed for it. Soon, a medium sized lake located at the base of a cliff came into view. He paused in the air, searching the area for any signs of humans. There was no point in landing if he was going to be approached by some curious hiker. 

Seeing no indication of anyone else, he descended onto the shore of the lake. A forest grew around the water. Long grass covered the stretch of land between the two. Piccolo scanned the area again, using all his senses except for smell. That one was too occupied with the stench coming off his own body. His ears picked up a rushing, pattering sound, like a full rain coming down. 

Piccolo kept alert as he followed the sound. After a few minutes of treading along the shoreline, he came into the shadow of the cliff. The water bubbled near the base where the earthen wall meet the lake. A fine mist rolled through the air. Piccolo looked up a little and saw sparkling drops of water splash off rocks as a waterfall flowed over the side of the cliff. 

This would do. He reached up and lifted his turban from his head. The cooled air felt refreshing on his slightly sweat moistened skin. His antennae flopped down into their natural positions. They tingled a little at the exposure, something he often felt when he first took off his headgear. He supposed they were sensitive from being protected so much by cloth. 

Piccolo dropped the turban on the ground and tackled the shoulder pads next. He lifted them up, his sight cut off momentarily by the draped cloth around the collar. The gear was quickly dropped behind him with a muted _thud_. It wasn't that the pads were too heavy to hold, only awkward in shape. He hadn't designed them for convenience, except for what they offered in terms of training. He wasn't worried about damage. He had made them out of tough materials and the cloth was easily cleaned. 

Piccolo pulled off his shoes next, setting them beside the turban. Then he straightened and loosened his belt. The strip of blue was dropped on top of the moccasins. His tunic quickly followed, dumped onto the growing pile. His pants were loose, so they slid off easily. He stepped out of them and left them where they were. 

He decided to take a few seconds to stretch his muscles. They were tense from all the stress that day. He needed to regain his peaceful center if he was going to find the patience for guarding Dende. Especially after the kid had sent him on what amounted to a wild goose chase. There wasn't time for a decent meditation session. He would have to make do with a quick, relaxing bath instead. 

Piccolo reached up with his hands, then brought them back down and rolled his shoulders. He tilted his head from side to side to release the tension in his neck. A few side stretches and he felt sufficiently loosened. 

The Namek then waded into the cool water of the lake. The clear liquid swirled around his ankles as he headed for the waterfall. Little tendrils of thin mud trailed after him below the surface The lake bottom sloped steeply, quickly leading him into greater depths. By the time he reached the bottom of the fall, the water was waist high. 

Piccolo ducked down under the surface. He waited a few seconds, letting the dried mud become moistened, before standing again. His hands scraped off any mud still clinging to his arms. With that done, he moved under the fall itself. 

The cascading water drummed onto his skin. Gentle thumping eased his muscles further. He found the faint rushing roar of the fall calming. He placed his hands against the rock face and leaned forward, allowing the water to roll over his back. Then he straightened and pushed away. 

Piccolo emerged from the waterfall considerably cleaner than before. He glanced at the sky, calculating how long he had been away. He could still catch a faint whiff of the stench from the mud. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to take a few more minutes, he raised his hand palm up. A clear, amber liquid pooled there. 

Rubbing his hands together caused the liquid to foam. He spread the suds over his body, a clean light pine scent replaced the foul odor. Any mud that had been left was cleaned away when he once again submerged under the lake surface. 

Piccolo straightened again, running his hands over his skin to rid it of whatever foam might still be clinging. He frowned when he saw faint purple lines crisscrossing his forearm. He rubbed his hand over them, they stayed in place. That was the arm that Mai had scratched during her attack. Dende had healed it and neither of them had noticed anything unusual. Why there should be marks left he didn't know. 

He decided he would have to ask Dende once the Guardian was out of sight of his guest. Piccolo didn't want to risk setting her off. She didn't have very high ki, but her nails and fangs were sharp enough to cause some damage. It was also possible Mai could hurt herself or someone might hurt her trying to restrain her. 

Piccolo shook off the thoughts. They reminded him he had spent quite enough time dallying. He scooped some more water in his hands, rinsing himself one last time. Then he headed back to the lake shore. The grass was sun warmed, the air slightly muggy away from the cooling currents around the waterfall. 

Piccolo ignored the pile of dirty clothing for the moment. He raised his ki and dried himself quickly. He had never seen the point in using a cloth when either sun, campfire or ki would do just as well. The light pine scent increased as the water evaporated off his skin, then faded to an almost undetectable level. 

Finally, he turned his attention to his fighting gi. Piccolo decided to forgo the ritual of manually clothing himself. He had already indulged himself too long. The simple actions brought him a little peace, reminding some part of his combined self of days that weren't spent worrying over when the next battle would be. He preferred to blame Nail for that bit of softness. 

Instead, Piccolo once again used his Namekian magic. The pile of filthy cloth disappeared. Almost as quickly, new clothing came into being, already on his body. The soft fabric of his gi caressed his skin. The weight of his turban and shoulder pads settled on him. His cape fluttered down around his legs. 

Feeling more centered, Piccolo hopped into the air. He flew straight for the Lookout. Trying to establish a telepathic link with Dende didn't work as he had hoped. The other acknowledged him, but didn't allow for more than a rapid exchange of bare thought, mostly to assure the returning warrior that there was nothing to worry about. 

Piccolo did worry, the whole way back. The skin on his forearm itched slightly and it added to his irritation. He was beginning to wonder if the female Namek had brought some sort of alien disease with her. Normally, scratches like that wouldn't have taken more than a few minutes to heal on their own. He had only accepted Dende's help so that they could focus on the visitor instead. 

Dende should have been able to pick up something like an infection. Then again, he had been distracted so he might have missed it. They both had been distracted. Piccolo growled a little. He had the feeling this newly discovered addition to Namek society was going to cause more troubles than he cared to deal with. 


	16. Without You

_**Author's Note:** Apologies for the long chapter. It was either keep it in one piece or split it into two small chapters. I'm finally into writing new material, so I'm not sure how well it flows with the previous work. I hope it turned out ok._

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNimation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 16   
Without You 

-

_"Who put a damn slug in my bath?" The harsh question echoed off the tiled surfaces of the room, effectively silencing the other bathers. _

Frightened black eyes stared up at the Saiyan. Thin antennae twitched and shivered. Droplets trickled down green skin. Whether it was sweat from fear or condensation from steam, Brussi didn't know. Or care. All that mattered was some... thing... was using her personal bath. Disgusted, she grabbed one pointy ear and half hauled the strange creature out of the sunken square pool. Only the roughly shouted order from a guard kept her from teaching this newcomer her first lesson in seraglio etiquette. 

Not the most friendly of meetings. Brussi chuckled at the memory, half-closed eyes gazing at the ceiling. The laugh sent a dull ache radiating through her gut and amusement gave way to a groan. The clear mask over her nose and mouth fogged slightly, muffling the noise. Off to the side, a soft _ whoosh-hiss_ sounded at regular intervals and was accompanied by wafts of cool air over her lips. The faint scent of disinfectant mingled with the fresh oxygen. 

Fuzziness still edged Brussi's thoughts. Blearily, she realized her armor had been removed, though the tight undershirt and shorts remained. Her boots and hand guards were gone as well. She didn't know how long she had been unconscious, but it had been long enough for someone to find her and settle her indoors. 

She grunted at that. Her slight good mood quickly darkening. How humiliating to have been seen in such a state by gods knew who. She should have come in under her own strength, not gotten carried in like some pathetic weakling! Her hands fisted as she growled softly. Showing weakness was never good, especially in a strange place filled with people of unknown ability and intent. And she had managed to reveal too many of her own deficiencies without learning any of theirs. Her cheeks burned slightly with shame. 

Well, if anyone thought this made her an easy target, they were badly mistaken. 

Brussi silently vowed she would show them she wouldn't be used. She may have knelt before Vegeta, but that didn't mean he was going to get free reign over her. She would die before performing certain "duties" again. 

The Saiyan ground her teeth and pushed down the fear that threatened to rise. He was powerful, certainly, so she would need to be careful. But she couldn't let fear dictate her actions. Taking deep breaths, she concentrated on settling her mind. Her churning emotions gradually subsided, leaving in their wake a renewed determination. And weariness. The urge to sleep again tugged at her and her eyes drifted shut. 

_"The next time I catch you in my bath. I swear I'll make slug soup!" Brussi towered over the seated green woman and glowered. Her hands were planted firmly on her hips and her tail lashed angrily behind her. She may not have been able to give this slug thing a proper beating, but she could still instill a hefty dose of fear. It didn't matter to the Saiyan that this newcomer looked as though she was a few years shy of adulthood. All new harem women arrived at a similar age. _

The younger woman looked up at Brussi with wide eyes, her expression a mixture of alarm and confusion. 

A throaty laugh cut through the general murmur of the other women. "You'd better be careful, little bug," said a sandy haired woman, "She eats anything." 

Brussi started awake and shook her head, trying to dislodge the memory. The guilt she had squashed earlier returned to tickle the back of her mind. She forced her eyes open. Her brows drew down in irritation. She didn't have time to waste on such foolishness. The Prince had been correct. She needed to focus on training, on becoming stronger. Allies came and went. All a Saiyan truly needed was their power. With it they could forge their own destiny. 

She snorted, rolling on to her side. She certainly didn't need some tag-a-long now that she had found one of her own race. Better, she had found someone who could train her to her fullest potential. The Namek would just get in the way. 

Brussi yawned and once again closed her eyes. She would give her injuries a few more hours to heal. Then, she'd seek out Vegeta. She needed to convince him that she could improve with time. Needed to prove she wasn't a weakling to be discarded. Relaxing against the soft mattress, her thoughts resumed drifting in her half asleep state. 

_There was nothing Brussi detested more than weakness. Those who suffered from it were beneath contempt. And that green woman seemed to possess it in abundance. The Saiyan was near to clawing her own ears off from all the screaming and crying. What had the slug thing expected, that she'd never be called on? She hadn't even come back with so much as a bruise or a scrape! It was too much! _

Brussi stormed over to the bawling woman's alcove. Practically tearing the entrance drape off its hooks, she entered the small room. She grabbed the younger woman by the back of her dress and dragged her out. Brussi hurled the woman to the floor of the common room. The noise stopped at last as she glared down at the miserable, tear streaked face. 

"Shut up... shut up, shut up, SHUT UP! I'm tired of your sniveling and whining! If you don't keep quiet, I'm going to reach down your throat and rip out your vocal chords!" 

Brussi pushed off the crisp, white sheet that covered her. This was fast becoming annoying. How could she be expected to rest if her mind kept throwing up these old memories? Damned brat, even when she wasn't around, she managed to get under the Saiyan's skin. 

Well, if Brussi couldn't sleep, then she'd look for the Prince. Might as well spend the time training as wallowing in the past. 

She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. A wave of dizziness swept through her at the motion. She gasped as her vision swam and her stomach lurched in protest. She covered her eyes with her hand, bumping the breathing mask slightly. Growling quietly, she pulled the thing off. Her nose wrinkled as the harsh odor of disinfectant increased, invading her sense of smell. 

Brussi sat still, eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the vertigo to fade. After a moment or two, it did and she slowly scanned the room. Strange machines were scattered about the area. Some had monitors, which were dark as they weren't being used. Others had rows of controls and lights. Electrical cords snaked over the uncarpeted floor and several cabinets lined one of the walls. There were a few chairs and tables, one of which held her missing armor. 

_Must be the infirmary Prince Vegeta mentioned_, she thought. _Heh, I don't need this._ She dropped the mask onto the mattress. Swaying a bit, she pulled herself into a standing position. But, before she could move, a sharp pain lanced her abdomen. Her knees gave and she sat down hard on the bed. 

_Damn it..._ Her arms crossed over her stomach and her teeth clenched. Sweat beaded on her face. She forced herself to breathe through the throbbing. It eased after a few moments, though to her disgust she found herself shaking. _ How am I supposed to prove my worthiness to be trained if it only takes two hits to put me in this state?_

Perhaps fate was catching up with her. Maybe, just as her own people had earned their ticket to hell with their bloodlust, she was getting a personal taste of inadequacy for her willing use of threats and violence to control others in the seraglio. Especially against a very frightened young woman who had witnessed her own mother's murder barely a month before. Someone who had been so damned sheltered she didn't know what happened in a harem. 

Brussi chuckled bitterly and rested her face in her hands. This was ridiculous! She couldn't afford to be plagued by events that took place years ago. Guilt and regret made one weak. Besides, she hadn't carried out the threat to rip out Mai's vocal cords. She hadn't needed to. The Namek had kept very quiet indeed. 

At least until the incident with Dorei's injuries. Up until then, Mai hadn't shown any spark of courage or cleverness. How she had managed to harden herself enough to blackmail Dorei, Brussi didn't know. The Saiyan had felt the faintest trace of respect for that bit of audacity. 

Afterwards, the Namek had started to become less afraid of the others, to the point she had challenged Brussi over some trifle or other. The Saiyan couldn't even remember what it was, only that Mai had spent a good five minutes with their faces just inches apart, arguing very loudly. The idea of being called out by someone so obviously weak had amused Brussi so much she could only respond by laughing. 

She still wasn't sure if she shouldn't have smacked the brat instead. Since she hadn't, Mai had gotten some strange idea into her head that Brussi would tolerate her presence. No more than a few days would go by without the Namek trying to start some sort of conversation. Brussi had tried to ignore it, but Mai would just quietly talk about whatever things came to mind. The Saiyan had even snapped at her more than once, threatening just about every sort of physical violence in an effort to get the younger woman to shut up. 

Still, it had made no difference, only managing to keep the brat silent for a few days. 

It had been irritating, distracting... downright maddening. But the persistence of it had eventually gotten to Brussi. She had found herself sitting near the window, a place the Namek favored, and actually listening. Though she hadn't dared to respond and in doing so admit she was paying any attention to Mai's prattling. 

It wasn't until Mai had challenged Dorei one too many times that Brussi came to realize that she felt anything more than apathy towards the younger woman. Dorei had drawn back her hand in preparation of striking Mai. Brussi had caught the favored woman's wrist, squeezing it so hard that she could have fractured bone. Dorei had backed off, though she was furious. 

Brussi rubbed her face wearily. The pain in her abdomen was finally no more than a faint shadow of itself. She briefly considered trying to sleep again. The more time she took to heal, the better she could train. 

Unfortunately, she doubted the memories would leave her alone. She didn't want to relive the next few events in the form of some nightmare. Already, old guilt was mingling with the new, and both were still dogging her thoughts. She tried to suppress the feelings. But it didn't work. 

_Damn it, brat! You're making me soft._ Brussi grimaced, pressing her chin into her fist. _Why can't I just forget? _

Because that would be cowardly, she answered herself. What was worse? Feeling guilt over a deed? Or refusing to think about it to avoid feeling guilt? What kind of warrior was afraid to face on their own past? 

Dorei had convinced the pig Seisan to give Mai a harsh beating. Dorei had known she couldn't strike out at Brussi for interfering. The Saiyan had already established a reputation for taking a striping without breaking. 

Mai, on the other hand, hadn't yet received anything more than a few quick lashes. She'd never experienced an outright whipping. And the one Dorei had arranged was one meant to be brutal. 

The Namek had been left whimpering in pain in the middle of the common room. Brussi had dragged her to bed, but the experience had left its mark. Mai barely left her alcove and had trembled whenever anyone approached her. Brussi had needed to use some rough and heartless words to pull the younger woman back from the edge. 

But Mai had never completely recovered, becoming annoyingly soft and peaceful in her disposition. Brussi had suspected cowardice until the Namek had shown she could still be stubborn about certain things. In the end, the Saiyan had felt a distasteful sense of responsibility for the situation. She had then found herself standing between Mai and the others while trying to toughen the Namek's spirit. 

_And now you're willing to leave that person to a powerful stranger she has no chance of fighting off,_ a nasty voice chided. _You know she'd put her life on the line to help you. Guess that means she's the brave one._

"Grrr..." Brussi angrily pushed off the bed. She ignored the twinge in her gut, grateful that she didn't feel the nauseating vertigo this time. Prince or no, she wasn't going to sit by while some... _male_... did as he pleased to Mai. Not now that they were free from such things. _You'd better appreciate this, brat. And it's only until I can find a safe place to dump you._

She slowly headed towards the door, conscious of the slight weakness she still felt in her legs. The cold floor made her feet tingle a bit. She glanced over to the table holding her armor and other items. It was past the exit, almost on the other side of the room. Deciding she would try the door first, she continued on her way. 

The portal seemed simple enough. It appeared to be the sort that slid into the wall. There was a control panel to the side of it, probably either to open and close it or lock it. 

Brussi approached the door and stood for a moment to see if it would open on its own. When it didn't, she muttered a curse and wondered if it was locked from the outside. She hoped not. Trying to break the code would probably take some time and there were no windows in the room to use as an alternative. She reached for the controls, but paused as the sound of voices carried through from the outside hall. 

Brussi leaned close and pressed her ear against the door. 

"Thanks for ride, Bulma." It was some male's voice. She didn't recognize it. She gritted her teeth. Just how many of that cursed gender would she have to put up with? 

"It's no problem, Krillin." The voice of the woman who had brought Brussi and Mai here. Brussi listened more intently, barely breathing. "I hope you don't mind that we stopped here. Vegeta couldn't keep from getting into a fight with that Saiyan woman. She's in the infirmary. I swear I don't think I'll ever understand what gets into him." 

Brussi growled quietly and resisted the urge to punch a hole in the door. For the second time since she'd awaken, her face grew warm from humiliation. It was bad enough that she had suffered two defeats in one day. Did the woman have to broadcast it to the rest of the planet's citizens? 

"You might as well get used to it. Vegeta's just that way. And I wouldn't be surprised if Goku shows up at some point to spar with her." The male, Krillin, laughed. 

Brussi's lips twitched at that. So, the resident males were going to each have their turn, eh? She'd be sure to make it costly for them. She might have lost to Vegeta, and that Namek male, but she wouldn't give up without a fight. 

"Hmph... speaking of which. What happened?" Bulma sounded both annoyed and curious. "He never showed up here, even after I sent Trunks. And what happened to Yamcha? That lazy bum better not have taken off after he met up with Vegeta." 

"Oh yeah," Krillin said slowly. "They probably got the same message from Dende as I did." 

"What message?" asked Bulma. The voices sounded louder now and Brussi could hear them pace around. 

"Well, Dende said everything was taken care of," Krillin explained. "I was already at the crash site when he told me. I was really relieved we weren't facing another Frieza or King Kold." 

Brussi's interest peaked at that. _Dende... that's the name that green bastard mentioned..._

Bulma made an annoyed sound. "And of course no one thought to let me know! I shouldn't have even bothered looking for you. I swear you guys-" 

Brussi didn't hear the rest. There was a muted mechanical click somewhere inside the door. Making a quick decision, the Saiyan hopped back towards the bed. Her stomach twitched with sharp little pains and her legs threatened to buckle at the sudden exertion, but she made it. Snatching up the discarded mask, she put it back over her face and lay down again. She got the sheet back over herself a scant few seconds before the door opened. She kept her eyes closed as the two entered. 

"Huh. I guess she's still asleep," Bulma said. Her shoes tapped along the hard floor as she approached the bed. 

"Hmm... I'm not so sure." Krillin's tone was suspicious. His footsteps joined Bulma's, the pair coming to a stop after a few seconds. "I thought I sensed something just before we came in." 

Brussi tried not to react in any way. She kept her breathing even. She didn't know what the man meant by "sensing," but it didn't sound good. What confused her more, though, was that his voice seemed to come from somewhere on level to her ear. Before she could think more on it, a finger poked her in the arm. 

Brussi's eyes snapped open. A mix of anger and instinct slammed through her. She growled, nearly leaping from the bed. Her hands were in position to defend or strike. Only the hose connected to the mask and the sight of the male kept her from doing more. She stared at the man who was tensed, standing ready to fight. 

He was short. Very short. Brussi doubted he would even come close to waist high. He wore what appeared to be casual clothes, a yellow shirt and dark pants. His brown hair looked like some animal had sat on his head and gone to sleep. Completing the picture was a strip of a mustache under a non-existent nose. She looked him up and down. 

Then she threw back her head and laughed. 

"Grrr... all right, that's enough!" Krillin's face flushed as he guessed the reason for the woman's reaction. 

Brussi's stomach began to throb again and she settled back, cross-legged, on the mattress. Her laughter trailed off. She smirked at the man. Her words were muted by the mask, but the lingering amusement was clear. "My apologies. I didn't know they made men so small. You are a man, aren't you? You look too old to be a boy." 

Krillin grumbled, easing into a more regular stance. He frowned at the Saiyan and eyed her warily. 

Brussi gave him one last contemptuous look, then dismissed him from her mind. She doubted he was very powerful at all. She fixed her gaze on Bulma. "I want to know where Mai is." 

Bulma's eyes widened slightly. "You mean Piccolo didn't tell you when he came back? It looked like you two were arguing. I thought it was because of your friend." She frowned and crossed her arms. "Sorry, but since _some_ people seem to think I don't need to know what's going on, I can't help you." 

The humor inspired by the little man was swept away by Bulma's answer. Brussi stilled and her expression became cold. She pulled the mask off her face. Her hand squeezed around it until it shattered, the cracking loud in the sudden silence. The Saiyan scowled, her words angry and hard. "That bastard said he took her to someone named Dende. Don't lie to me, you know who he is!" 

Bulma and Krillin stared at Brussi, then exchanged cautious looks. A mad Saiyan was never good. They stepped back a pace or two. Bulma spoke again, trying to sound calm. "Now just a minute. There's no reason to get upset. If she's with Dende, then she'll be fine." 

"Uh, yeah. That's right," Krillin agreed. He smiled weakly and held up his hands in a placating gesture. "He's a friend. He wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Besides, he's a Namek like her." 

Brussi flung the pieces of the mask to the floor. The hard plastic made _tink tink_ noises as it scattered over the linoleum. Brussi's scowl deepened as her patience began to give out. "I don't care if he's a Namek! Tell me where to find him!" 

Krillin and Bulma again glanced at each other, then back to Brussi. Krillin's expression became harder. It wouldn't be good if this Saiyan got to the Lookout. "Look, I know you're worried. But trust me-" 

Trust him? Brussi nearly screeched with rage. How dare that shrimpy bastard even suggest it! Trust a damned male? She glared at him, wanting to rip his arms off. Her fists clenched so tightly the knuckles popped and turned chalky. He glared right back, subtly shifting his position to a defensive one. 

Brussi forced herself to calm down. This was getting her nowhere. These two didn't seem to be willing to give out the information she needed. She doubted beating it out of them would be an option. The woman was clearly under the protection of Prince Vegeta. The necessary violence would result in at least some noise and it was possible the male Saiyan would hear. Brussi knew she didn't stand a chance if he got involved. 

The short male presented another problem. Brussi didn't believe he had much power, but she had been proven wrong before. She didn't know his fighting techniques or if he had some weapon hidden in his ridiculous clothes. She wasn't going to make the same mistake again. She wasn't going to risk being beaten a third time, especially not when it could mean Mai's safety. 

Reigning in her anger, she smoothed the scowl from her face and unclenched her fists. She took a few deep breaths. Gathering as much calm as she could scrape up, she slipped out of the bed and stood before the two. She cursed inwardly at the slight pangs in her gut and the weakness that still threatened her legs. 

Krillin kept his wary stance for a few seconds more. He gazed up at the Saiyan woman, trying to gauge her mood. When she made no aggressive move, he began to relax. 

Brussi kept her expression neutral. She said in an even tone, "I'm sure you trust this Dende as an ally. But Mai and I aren't used to giving our trust that freely. You can understand." 

Krillin nodded, partly out of understanding and partly to humor the woman. Maybe they could get this cleared up without having a fight. "Sure. It must hard to come to a strange planet and not know who to trust." 

"Good," said Brussi with a slight smirk. "I'm glad we agree." 

Without another word, she kicked the short man hard, sending him flying into one of the walls. His head hit with a thud against the surface and he slumped to the floor. She whirled around, sending her fist into the neck of the stunned human woman. Bulma fell in a heap with barely a sound. 

Brussi's abdomen cramped in pain. She clenched her teeth, nearly doubling over. Her legs were a bit shaky, but she forced herself to keep standing. The tightened muscles protested as she leaned down and snatched the bag hanging from Bulma's shoulder. She could only hope that what she needed was inside. 

Brussi shuffled over to the table with her armor. The suit might be damaged, but she was certain she would need it. She had made no allies this day. She pushed away the thought and shrugged on the jacket. The boots were a little more difficult, since she had to bend again to pull them on. Finally, she slipped the hand guards over her wrists. 

Feeling a little more prepared to face what might come, she glanced back at the two unconscious natives. She gave them a mocking little salute. "Sweet dreams." 

Then, Brussi hurried to the door. It took a second to hit the right button before it slid open. She stepped into the hall, checking for any others that might be lurking about. Seeing no one, she began to move as quickly as her battered body would allow. 

Her footsteps echoed in the corridor. She grimaced at the loud sounds, knowing it was a risk. She remembered the complex held several buildings, including a very large main one. If the infirmary was in an inhabited area, she might run into someone capable of stopping her. Adrenaline dulled the pain in her stomach and steadied her gait. She rummaged in the bag as she went. She tossed away anything that wasn't of use. She found three capsules. One looked similar to the one that contained the flier. She dumped the bag and worked her way through the building. 

Brussi opened every unlocked door she could. The winding hallways were confusing and so far she hadn't seen any windows. There were several rooms that held equipment of some kind, others that were filled with boxes. She growled, the delay wearing on her nerves. Worry that she would have to go back and use one of the natives began to gnaw at her. 

But as she thought it, she came across an empty bedroom. The furnishings were mostly bare. The large bed was stripped of any coverings, the table and dressers without ornaments. There was a hint of dust in the air and the stale smell of a room that didn't get used often. Her attention was quickly drawn to a window on the opposite wall. Deciding it was as good as a door, she ran over to it and punched out the glass. Sharp slivers exploded outwards and some pattered to the carpet. Brussi jumped out on to the mown lawn, garnering a few cuts from the shards still on the sill. She knew she didn't have much time. 

Brussi continued running until she had nearly made the boundary of the grass. There, she threw down the most likely looking capsule. With a poof, a flier appeared. It seemed to be the same type the human woman had used before. 

The Saiyan grinned and hopped into the machine. Now, she just needed to remember how the human had controlled it. She studied the buttons, thinking back to the trip that had brought her and Mai to the complex. It took some pressing and false starts before she managed to get the engine to engage and stay on. Taking the control handle, she smirked and said, "All right. That green bastard took off that way. So I'll start there." 

The flier rose, rather wobbly, into the air and streaked off in the general direction that Piccolo had taken when he'd abducted Mai. 


	17. She's No Angel

_**Author's Note:** I wanted to thank those who have given encouragement via reviews and to those who continue reading._

_**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNimation. No infringement is intended._

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 17   
She's No Angel 

-

Dende sat back in his chair, studying the female Namek as she rested. Mai was lying down on a bed near the window. Her breathing was even and calm, her features peaceful. The fright she had experienced earlier was gone now. There was still an underlying tension, though, a certain alertness that kept her from sleeping. 

It had taken a while for Mai to calm down. She had huddled near the window at first, glancing at Dende when he had entered. But she didn't speak. Dende had been afraid she might leap out the window to try and escape. He had forced himself to stay calm for her sake. The silence had been a little unnerving, though it seemed to help his purpose. 

Mai had eventually relaxed in his presence. He had told her that when she needed to talk about anything about her past, he would listen. He didn't want to press her with a lot of questions that might upset her again. Gradually, she had told him a little about her time on Dokusei. 

Mai hadn't given a lot of detail, only that she had been a slave and her mother had been killed. She had let slip a little more about her and Brussi's escape. She seemed to harbor some guilt over leaving the others behind. There was something, though, that worried him a little about those experiences. For the moment, he had put off asking anything more about them. 

He thought it would do her some good to rest, even though part of him was impatient to gather more information before Piccolo returned. He didn't want the warrior to overhear certain things. If those things were indeed part of Mai's past. 

Dende watched and waited for a few more minutes. Then, he said, "Would you tell me more about your mother, Mai?" 

Mai sighed but didn't open her eyes immediately. She had been enjoying her rest. She had managed to still her thoughts and meditate. The peace couldn't last, of course, when she still needed to answer Dende's many left over questions. Finally, she pushed aside the covering and sat up on the mattress. 

"What would you like to know?" she asked. 

Dende considered for a moment, then said, "Was she a warrior?" 

Mai shook her head. "No, mother was a teacher type. Her abilities seemed to lay in farming and cooking. She enjoyed both very much." 

Dende kept his expression controlled. He had been hoping Mai would say yes. It would make for an easier explanation. That her fight response was something her mother had taught to her as opposed to the alternative. He asked evenly, "Did she... ah... ever train? It's not too unusual for certain types to train themselves in abilities that aren't their prime disposition." 

Mai shook her head again. "The only time I ever saw her fight was..." 

She looked down at her hands. When she saw the edges of her sleeves gripped tightly by her fingers, she forced them to relax and let go. She took a deep breath and continued, "She fought against the soldiers who attacked us. That's how she died. She did tell me about a few times before I was born when she came across the natives on Dokusei. She did have to fight then, but afterwards she tried her best to stay out of their way. She didn't like the thought of having to injure anyone again. She never trained, neither did I." 

Dende pressed his lips together, trying not to frown. The worry in his mind was growing. "Can you tell me a little about the times you've attacked or defended yourself with others?" 

Mai glanced up. Her eyes were sad as she answered, "I think I would have attacked the soldiers if I hadn't been knocked unconscious. I did injure another woman in the harem when she attacked me." 

Her voice was filled with regret. She shifted her gaze back to her hands in her lap. Dende knew he needed to tread carefully, but he also needed to confirm his suspicions. He asked softly, "Mai, were there other times you felt the same way, that you wanted to fight? Even if you didn't?" 

Mai clenched her hands a few times, then opened them palm up on her lap. She didn't look up. She let her mind roam over her recent memories. Honesty forced her to accept certain occurrences she had previously pushed to the back of her mind, things she hadn't wanted to question. Her voice trembled, "A few months ago, one of the new harem females committed suicide. It resulted in everyone being punished. Two had been singled out as accomplishes who helped the girl do it, but they hadn't." 

Mai's head hung a little lower. "The girl had been a telekinetic. She was able to stop her heart. I... wanted to tell the guards, but when Dorei accused Furyo and Toriko, they accepted the blame when Brussi tried to defend them. I was too much of a coward to speak up after that." 

She raised her hands and covered her eyes. The images from that day took hold of her imagination, replaying the horrible events. "I didn't know they would be executed. It was brutal. They were whipped to death! I felt so much rage I almost... lashed out at Brussi." 

Mai shuddered at the thought that she might have hurt her friend. She had never really acknowledged the incident, not even in her own mind. After the violent feelings had faded, she had excused it as a reaction to the executions. Something that would never be repeated again. She didn't compare it to the burst of rage she had felt years before. 

She lowered her hands, willing the images to fade. There was another time she had to admit to feeling that way. A time that had been tucked away because of the tension surrounding it. "There was also a moment when Brussi had threatened to kill me. I was injured badly by Dorei and the others after I attacked her. When I suggested Brussi leave me behind, she grabbed my throat. She said it would be better for me to be dead than captured again. I felt the same sort of rage and will to live. She let me go before I could do anything and I fell into a half conscious state." 

Mai's silence after her speech indicated to Dende that was the end of the times she could remember or was willing to tell him about. He rose from his seat and approached the bed. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he said, "It will be all right, Mai." 

She nodded, but he could tell she wasn't convinced. He wished he could provide her with something more encouraging. His probing senses, though, silently confirmed what he had expected to find. He didn't look forward to passing on this information to Piccolo. The warrior might decide to over-ride Dende's authority and force Mai to leave too early. Yet Dende knew he couldn't keep this to himself. He might need more of Piccolo's help than he originally thought. 

A tingling sensation in Dende's mind heralded Piccolo's return. Dende quickly decided he should meet him. He sensed Piccolo was still anxious. He sent off brief telepathic assurance to the older Namek. Giving Mai a brotherly pat on the shoulder, he stated, "I need to attend to some business, Mai. If you need anything, ask Mr. Popo. I'll return later so we can talk more." 

He smiled, though she didn't raise her gaze to his, and walked out of the room. He was glad Piccolo had chosen to approach from the opposite way. It wouldn't help any if Mai decided to look out the window and saw Piccolo and Dende together. 

Dende reached the ground floor quickly and made his way outside. Piccolo was standing in the shadow of the palace, his arms crossed, and looking impatient. He studied Dende, searching for anything that might indicate trouble. Piccolo was certain that the carefully calm expression meant something had happened. 

"What did you find out?" Piccolo asked, not bothering with any greetings. 

Dende struggled with the best way to tell Piccolo what he had discovered. It didn't help that his delay increased the frown on Piccolo's face. Finally, he decided to be blunt, "You aren't the first one she's attacked or wanted to. And... her mother was the same." 

Piccolo released a drawn out breath. He closed his eyes and said, "I don't suppose you're willing to listen now?" 

Dende shook his head. He spread his hands in a helpless gesture, "Where would you take her? She needs our help if she's ever going to live in peace, Piccolo. Not even the calm of Namek society would do her any good as she is. You know that better than anyone." 

Piccolo sent Dende a sharp glance. "You did a second probe to confirm it?" 

Dende nodded slowly. He lowered his hands to his sides. "I think she's already formed a primitive defense against it, but if the situation were bad enough, she would lose that control." 

"Did you tell her?" Piccolo asked. His expression was still cautious, though not as stern as before. 

"No," replied Dende. "You returned just a few minutes after I finished the probe. I think it would be best to let her rest some more. The calmer she is, the better she'll be able to handle the news." 

Piccolo nodded. "I hope you're going to encourage her to go to New Nameksei. The society there will reinforce whatever help you can give." 

"I will," Dende said. He placed his hands behind his back and thought a moment. He didn't think there was much more either of them go do now. "I think I had better return to my duties. Mai needs time alone and I must check on the surface." 

"All right," agreed Piccolo. He didn't think Dende should be neglecting his watching. If there were some other way to help Mai, he would have suggested it. He glanced down at his arm, remembering the purple lines he had intended to ask about. They were gone, now, his skin back to its normal green hue. He decided it could wait. 

"I'll watch over Mai," said Piccolo. When Dende gave him a questioning look, he added, "I'll stay out of sight." 

Piccolo rose into the air. He aimed for the domed top of the palace. He circled it some, then landed on the portion over Mai's room. She was more calm than she had been when he left. He wondered how long it would last. 

For the next few hours, Piccolo maintained his vigil. Mai hadn't moved from her room. Her ki was level and she was possibly sleeping. That was fine by him. He wasn't looking forward to the conversation that would eventually take place. He again considered talking Dende out of this foolishness. Keeping the female Namek at the Lookout was just asking for trouble. But he knew the stubborn Guardian wouldn't give in. 

He ground his teeth in frustration. If only there were somewhere else to take her... someone else who could play babysitter until they could determine if this was a lost cause. Piccolo hadn't brought up that thought, though it niggled at him now. There was a chance that Dende couldn't do anything. 

If that were true, then they might be forced to kill or imprison her. The warrior shivered at his father's memories of the denshi jar. Seemingly endless years of utter darkness with only one's own hate and rage was not a fate he'd wish on anyone. 

A spark of ki drew Piccolo from his thoughts. He looked up and scanned the sky around the Lookout. Soon enough, the distant sound of engines made it to his sensitive ears. He concentrated on the ki signature, probing it to see who it was. He inhaled sharply. 

_Damn it, we don't need this. Not now._ Piccolo stood, scowling at the unplanned interruption. He had to intercept the blasted Saiyan before Mai realized she was there. Hopping into the air, he aimed for the direction of the ki. He had barely passed over the expanse of white tile below when he felt an urgent mental tug from Dende. He growled. Surely the young Guardian didn't intend to let her land? 

The distraction allowed the flier to come within visual range of the Lookout. Piccolo mentally cursed. If he flew out now, the woman was likely to do something to attract attention. Like try to ram him out of the sky. 

He growled in irritation and lowered himself to the surface below. Crossing his arms, he waited for the flier to land. The vehicle had barely bumped to a stop when the Saiyan woman jumped through the hatch. She sighted the male Namek, her expression swiftly changing from cautious to enraged. 

"You bastard!" Brussi bounded over to Piccolo, coming to a stop a few feet away. Her muscles twitched with the need to vent her anger and humiliation. She wasn't about to forgive him for taking Mai. Or for the defeat in front of the Prince. "Where is she? Where is Mai?" 

"She's fine," snapped Piccolo. His voice was harsh, but he kept it level. The less noise they made, the better. "But you aren't going to see her in this state. She needs-" 

Brussi's fist grazed Piccolo's cheek. The demented Saiyan had launched herself at him and he just managed to dodge the strike. She followed with a kick. He was better prepared this time and easily blocked her. Piccolo snarled, baring his fangs. It seemed the woman was intent on fighting. 

Piccolo backhanded Brussi, sending her skidding across the tile surface. She came to a stop on her back. Pain throbbed through her cheek. Her half healed gut cramped, reminding her she wasn't in any shape for a brawl. She sat up slowly and moved her jaw a bit to assess the damage. Nothing broken that she could tell, though there was an increasing metallic taste on her tongue. She swiped at the trickle of blood coming from her mouth. The spasm in her stomach muscles was ignored. 

"If you think you can defeat me again, you're wrong," Brussi said. Her words were low and determined. "No one is going to keep us prisoner." 

Piccolo fisted his hands in annoyance. "She's not a pris-" 

Brussi didn't let him finish. In a fraction of a second, she sprang up from the ground. She dove at Piccolo, her foot aimed at his head. The Namek warrior grabbed her ankle and smacked her into the tile. He briefly wondered if all Saiyans were so thick headed. 

Brussi groaned. The tile beneath her back was cracked from the impact. Sharp pains traced over her body and twisted her gut. She grit her teeth against them. A shadow fell over her and she looked up. The large male loomed over her. Her eyes widened slightly as fear began to seep into her. Well, the bastard wasn't going to get anything out of her so easily. She clenched her fist, gathering strength for the next attack. 

Piccolo grunted and deftly planted his foot on the Saiyan's wrist, forcing it to the floor. Brussi couldn't stop her yell of pain, surprise and rage. The sound echoed off the palace walls. 

Piccolo scowled down at her. "Quiet! I've had enough of this nonsense. Mai isn't a prisoner and she's not in danger." 

Brussi glared up at him. She grabbed his ankle with her other hand, trying to free her trapped wrist. The way she was baring her teeth, Piccolo thought she might attempt to bite him. He increased the pressure on her wrist slightly. Brussi growled at the pain, but stopped her tugging. 

_Finally, now maybe we'll get somewh-_

A sudden spike in ki behind him cut into Piccolo's thoughts. He half turned as something slammed into his back and shoulders. Sharp nails clawed at his face. He stumbled back, thrown off balance. He grabbed for the slashing talons. They weren't doing much damage, merely scraping over his skin, but he didn't want to take any chances. Almost as soon he captured the offending hand, the attacker let out a feral growl and bit hard into his ear. 

That was going too far. He gripped the hand tightly, using it as a lever to throw his opponent over his shoulder. Pain streaked through his ear as teeth ripped out flesh and cartilage. His attacker landed with a thud not too far from Brussi. 

Piccolo glared at the new challenger. She wasn't unconscious, only dazed. Her white robe now sported streaks of slick purple. She rolled onto her stomach and pushed up on her arms. Blood stained her fangs and dripped from her chin. She didn't seem to notice nor care. Raising her head, she locked her gaze with Piccolo's. 

Mai's red eyes bore into him. 

Piccolo ignored the blood flowing down the side of his head and the burning sensation in his wounded ear. Things were spiraling out of control. If he didn't do something soon, he might just be forced to kill one or both of them. Piccolo clenched his fists and resisted the urge to use a ki blast to end things once and for all. Trying to calm himself, he said gruffly, "That's enough. Both of you. Mai, think about what you're doing." 

Brussi stirred from her position on her back. The momentary reprieve resulting from Mai's attack had been what she needed to get her breath back. She sat up gingerly, sharp pains still radiating from where she had landed on the hard tile. Her abdomen throbbed, but she could handle it. She glanced at the female Namek. Mai's face was turned enough that Brussi couldn't see her expression. Her friend's body was tensed and ready for battle. 

Brussi smirked as she switched her gaze to Piccolo. "Not so easy to tame, are we? We didn't escape from that pig Seisan just to become your toys." 

Piccolo's glare snapped to Brussi. His voice came louder this time, impatient with the constant misconceptions. "We don't have any interest in keeping anyone as 'toys' or prisoners. Mai needs help. Your presence is only making things worse." 

Brussi scowled at Piccolo. She'd be damned before she let someone force the two of them apart. "We won't be kept down so easily. Right, brat?" 

The flier was still waiting several feet away. If they could knock out this brute, then they might have a chance. They could escape to somewhere else on this god-forsaken planet. The ship they crashed in was probably a lost cause, so they'd have to make do with some isolated area on this world. Brussi moved to take hold of Mai's arm. 

"Don't touch her!" Piccolo warned. 

It was too late. Mai twisted in her kneeling position. Her mouth opened and a hissing, animal sound rushed out. Her clawed hand swiped at Brussi. The Saiyan woman jerked back in surprise. The sharp nails passed within a hairbreadth of her throat. Piccolo took a step forward, already gathering ki in his hand. 


	18. Six Feet from the Edge

_**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay. This chapter... had some problems. I think I've fixed a few, but the rest I just don't know what to do about. I don't want to hold on to it forever, so here it is. I admit my interpretation of Dende is probably a bit different than most. I hope, in spite of these things, that the chapter is still enjoyable._

**Disclaimer:** DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNimation. No infringement is intended. 

-

**DRAGON BALL: PRODIGALS **

Chapter 18   
Six Feet from the Edge 

-

"Stop!" A young man's voice rang out over the tiled expanse. It carried a tone of authority that even the maddened Mai couldn't ignore. All three combatants turned their heads towards the speaker. 

Dende strode down the walkway between the trees. His face was set into a slight frown. His hands were fisted at his sides, but his movements were smooth and controlled. Mr. Popo trotted along behind him. The black dijin shook his head at Piccolo's scowl. "Mr. Popo tried to stop him, but he would not listen." 

The Guardian came to a stop some distance away from the three. He kept his gaze on Mai, though it was Piccolo he addressed first. His words were calm and commanding. "There's no need for that, Piccolo. Ease off." 

Piccolo grunted, as much protest as he allowed himself for the moment. There were times he recognized Dende expected to be obeyed without question. This was one of them. He allowed the ki to dissipate, though he couldn't relax completely. 

Dende seemed to accept that as enough. He kept his eyes on Mai and spoke to Brussi in the same manner. "Your friend isn't aware of what she's doing. This is a very delicate time. If you value her at all, then you must trust me and do as I say." 

Brussi snarled at the directive. She didn't like his tone or his implication. She glanced at Mai again. The Namek woman twitched like some trapped animal, her gaze fixed on the newcomer. But Brussi remembered Mai's eyes and how her friend had reacted. The older woman wondered if this was what had happened with Dorei. If so, she now understood why the others had been terrified of escaping with them. Brussi nodded to the Guardian. 

"Good. Now... no aggressive actions, either of you, understand?" asked Dende. He took their silence as agreement. Still gazing directly at Mai, he took a few slow steps toward her. 

A growl sounded low in Mai's throat. To the surprise of Piccolo and Brussi, the young woman began to retreat slowly on hands and knees. Her lips curled back and her nails scraped over the tile. Beads of sweat trailed down her face, mixing with the drying blood. Her skin shivered at the closeness of the Guardian. 

Dende came to a stop. He realized that he could not risk going much further. He extended a hand and Mai flinched, as if expecting to be struck. The small reaction caused a pang of sadness within Dende. He truly did not want to hurt her... or to lose her. 

"Mai," he said in a gentle voice. "Mai, you must fight this. Push the darkness from your mind and heart. Don't let it swallow you." 

Mai's growling increased. She parted her teeth and tensed. A part of her pulsed with hate for this being before her. Her mind swam with memories of all the cruelties she had endured, of the evil that she had seen. The aura of goodness he projected only served to increase her own anguish. How could such a being exist and claim to guard people when such atrocities were allowed to occur? A whirlwind of emptiness, pain, rage and so many other burning emotions gripped her soul and threatened to tear it apart.

Her claws dug deep into the tile. She wanted to kill him... wanted to tear out his throat and see his blood spill over the ground. Something deep in her soul thrilled at the thought. How delightful it would be, just like when she ripped into the flesh of that pathetic woman. Would his screams be as pleasing?

"Mai..." Dende turned his hand palm up, a supplication to the female Namek to come back from the edge of the abyss. He could sense she was slipping. His next words he voiced telepathically, hoping to reach her. _Don't forget your friend, don't forget your people. Don't let this steal your life. You are a kind, gentle person. Don't give in to the impulses calling to you. Don't become the thing you hate._

Mai's head drooped a little, though she still stared into Dende's eyes. Friend... who was her friend? Who cared for her? The image of the Saiyan woman fighting Piccolo flickered in her mind. She was here... Brussi had come here and she had fought because she thought Mai was in trouble. Uncertainty crept into her expression. She clenched her fists, sharp nails digging into her flesh, purple blood flowing over her fingers. Her eyes closed for several seconds, then opened again. The red faded into black. She had almost...

Tears gathered and spilled down her cheeks. Mai collapsed onto the ground, her head cradled in her arms. Quiet sobs wracked her body. 

Dende released a silent, relieved breath. He blinked a few times to ease the stinging in his eyes. For the first time since coming out, he looked to Piccolo and Brussi. The Saiyan was getting ready to move when Dende shook his head. It was still too early. Brussi frowned at him, but stopped. He then gave Piccolo a stern look, a reminder to follow his lead. 

At Piccolo's slight nod, Dende approached the crying Mai. He knelt in front of her and gently touched her shoulder. Mai flinched away. He could hear the small whimpers and see the trembling. He tried again, wanting... needing to show her that she was in no danger. Mai didn't recoil this time, though her shaking increased slightly. 

"Mai, it's over." Dende wanted to say more, but snatches of words and phrases suddenly skimmed through his mind. Fragments of images flashed in a frightening staccato montage. His eyes widened. They were not his thoughts. 

_A creeping darkness... bursts of rage... it burns, it burns horribly... stop... I can't take the pain... so much pain... Mida... she's going to kill me... can't fight him... must escape... he's hurting her... the taste of blood... oh gods... oh gods... what have I done? _

evil... monster... fiend... hell spawn... devil god... 

Demon... 

"No!" Dende squeezed Mai's shoulder. He shook her slightly, whispering fiercely. "Mai, listen to me. You can't let this crush you. Do you hear me?" 

Mai raised her head wearily. She looked into his eyes for just a moment, before squeezing her own shut and turning her face away. There was such shame and regret in that short glance. 

Dende placed his other hand against the side of her head. The touch caused a fresh bout of tears. The young Guardian gently pulled Mai close, allowing her to lean against him as she cried. It was rare that he could offer comfort so directly to one of his charges. Usually he was restricted to fleeting mind touches and soothing dreams. A selfish piece of him wanted to go slowly, but he knew that he couldn't. 

He waited until Mai quieted, then spoke again. "You will overcome this. We'll help you." 

"What's happened to me?" Mai asked. Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. She didn't open her eyes. 

Dende took a deep breath. He glanced over to Brussi. He hadn't wanted anyone present when he answered this question, not even Piccolo. But at least, he knew Piccolo wouldn't do anything to interfere. The Saiyan woman was a wildcard he hadn't counted on. For the moment she appeared subdued. He could only hope she would keep to her agreement. 

Dende turned his attention back to Mai. He swallowed, nervous about how he should approach the matter. Taking another breath, he plunged into the explanation. "What you're experiencing is the result of genetic manipulation." 

"I don't understand..." Mai's voice trembled. This was all frightening. She felt as if she were no longer in control of her being. She no longer knew who she was. 

Dende sighed. "You know of the children that were sent from Nameksei to escape the destruction. Because there was little time, and so few adults could be spared to accompany them, our ancestors had to find a way to keep them safe." 

He stroked Mai's head a few times, then continued sadly, "Since we are basically peaceful, it would be easy for a child to get into danger without knowing what to do. The ones that were sent out... our ancestors tried to give them a defense. They tried to tap into primitive instincts in a controlled way. But it didn't work." 

Dende paused again. He knew the next part would be difficult for Mai. Bearing the burden of someone else's mistakes was never fair. He could only hope she would be strong enough. "We were not always a peaceful race, Mai. Far in our past, we were more violent and cold-blooded than most. It took much pain and sacrifice to lock away those traits." 

Mai stilled completely. She barely breathed, her mind attempting to grasp the meaning behind Dende's words. 

"The ancestors went too far," Dende said. "No one realized it until much later. By then, only the Great Elder remained of them. It was discovered that for every dangerous situation those children faced, for every evil they saw or experienced, the ancient darkness that once plagued our people would creep farther into their hearts." 

He closed his eyes in sorrow. "Far too many fell into its grasp. So many died because they couldn't break free of it." 

Mai bit her lower lip, keeping her eyes squeezed shut. She didn't need to ask why she suffered from this. If her mother knew nothing about it, she couldn't have prevented passing on those traits. 

Mai pushed away from Dende, grateful when he didn't try to stop her. She kept her head bowed and gripped the edges of her sleeves. Her voice was still and quiet when she spoke, "So... what they said was true. Before we escaped, the other women accused me of being a demon for what I did." 

"Bullshit!" The harsh invective caused Piccolo, Dende and Mai to swing their gazes to Brussi. The Saiyan rose from her seated position. Her expression was one of pure rage. She held up a fisted hand, the muscles in her arm taut. "If you say that again, brat, I'll beat the notion out of your head! Those fools don't know anything." 

Dende and Piccolo tensed. The Guardian glared at Brussi. If she kept this up, she could trigger another episode. He could sense Mai's physical and mental exhaustion. She would have no defense against the evil impulses that would sweep through her. 

Before he could say anything, Mai responded, "Brussi, it must be true. I-" 

Brussi sprinted over to the kneeling Mai. She grabbed the front of the younger woman's robe with one hand, hauling the Namek to her feet. The Saiyan held her friend so that their faces were inches apart. She drew back her other arm. 

There was a growl and a large green hand clamped over Brussi's wrist. She whipped her head around. She snarled at the large warrior. "Let go of me, you bastard!" 

"Brussi, listen to me! Look at me!" Mai's tone was harsh, anger and sorrow laced through the words. 

Brussi turned her attention back to Mai. Tears glittered in the Namek's eyes, but didn't fall. The younger woman glared at her, expression full of pain... too much for Brussi to deny. She loosened her grip slightly. 

Mai continued staring at Brussi. Her voice once again was quiet, but it was ragged. "Look at me. Look at what I've done. I had no control... I couldn't stop myself from..." 

The female Namek raised a hand to her face, touching the dried mix of gore and tears. Her gaze flicked to Piccolo's torn ear. She made a small, strangled sound and began to viciously scrub her sleeve across her tainted skin. 

Brussi released Mai with a low growl, pushing the younger woman away slightly. 

Piccolo let go of the Saiyan's wrist. It seemed the demented woman had given up on the thought of beating on Mai. He wondered just how the two had come to consider each other friends if this was the typical interaction between them. The thought was discarded when he caught sight of Dende approaching Mai. He tensed, ready in case she attacked again. 

Dende came to stand partially in front of Mai, where he was certain she would see him. He put his hand on her arm, stilling her frantic attempt to wipe away the evidence of what happened. Switching his gaze to Popo, he said, "Mr. Popo, would you prepare a bath for our guest? I'm sure she would like one about now." 

Mr. Popo nodded, not even looking at Mai. Whatever he thought of the preceding events, he kept to himself. He disappeared quickly down the path and into the palace. 

Brussi huffed to herself and crossed her arms. The Saiyan didn't understand the fuss. So Mai had no control and took chunks out of people's flesh. One didn't question tactics that worked in a fight, especially when the person had no skills. And Mai evil? It was damned laughable. The Namek couldn't squash flies without feeling guilty. All this nonsense about 'genetics' and brutal history was just upsetting the brat. 

The image of Mai's red eyes briefly flashed in Brussi's mind. The Saiyan had felt a cold shiver at the sight of them. She'd never once come close to fearing the Namek, but this time had nearly been the first. 

Brussi brushed aside the lingering doubt. It had been a tense situation. The younger woman was finally showing some fighting sense and now these two strangers were in a snit over it. No doubt because a female who could fight back meant they couldn't do as they pleased. Well, they were out of luck. She smirked at Mai and said, "You just need training, brat. You've got instincts, but no discipline. I can take care of that. We'll hone your skills until you can best every male on this planet." 

Piccolo grunted at that. Trust a Saiyan to think this was a good thing. Dende didn't look too pleased with Brussi's statement either. Mai lowered her eyes, studying the ground. 

The Guardian turned to Brussi. He frowned at the woman's attitude. "It's true that Mai needs training, but not that sort. She can't afford to let these instincts take further hold. If she does, she will lose herself to them." 

"And who'll train the brat? You?" Brussi snorted in amusement. She could knock this boy over with little effort. She pointed to the large Namek's ear. "If she could do that to your bodyguard, then you don't have a chance. She could probably kill you if she wanted to." 

The Saiyan grinned at the reaction that elicited. The younger male actually paled slightly. She decided to dig a little more. Facing the Guardian full on, she crossed her arms again. Her smile got wider and her brows drew down in a hungry expression. "All it would take is for you to do one thing wrong and the brat would have your head on a plate. Is there much glory in killing you? Her first kill should be someone at least slightly important." 

"Brussi!" Mai took a step forward, anger clear in the tenseness of her body. "Stop it! Just stop it! I don't want to... I won't kill anyone!" 

"She's right," Piccolo said. Now that he was certain things had calmed down, he stood with his arms crossed. He looked to Brussi with a slight frown, then turned to Dende. "Mai is too dangerous. She can't stay here." 

Dende shook his head. He knew that eventually Piccolo would resist his authority in this matter. He had hoped it wouldn't be so soon. "Piccolo, she needs help to control this. She needs the guidance of someone familiar with mental training." 

"Dende, you are the Guardian of this planet. You have duties you can't ignore." Piccolo's words took on the tone of a teacher admonishing a student. Although the old Namek known as Kami no longer existed, the merger with his other half's offspring had ensured that his experience could be passed on. Piccolo had taken that responsibility to heart. "You can't risk your life for one person. Not when you have so many others to oversee." 

The young Guardian clasped his hands behind his back. His expression became stony and nearly blank. He normally appreciated the wisdom Piccolo could give in regards to how he should handle his protection of Chikyuusei. But even his pride could be bruised. It was sorely pricked at the moment from being lectured in front of two of his charges. 

"Very well, then," Dende said at last. "Then you will be in charge of her training." 

"What?" Piccolo gaped at the younger male. 

"Over my dead body!" Brussi whirled around to face the Namek warrior. She threatened Piccolo with her fist. "Touch her and you'll have more to worry about than a half bitten ear!" 

Mai could only respond by shrinking back. She was grateful for Brussi's presence. Hearing the older woman's brash declaration brought some small sense of normalcy in an otherwise confusing string of events. She glanced over to Dende, but his closed expression offered no comfort. 

"Enough!" Dende scowled at the two warriors who were shooting death glares at each other. His patience was nearing its end. He turned to Piccolo first. "You've made it very clear that Mai can't remain on the Lookout. The only other person on this planet who knows the techniques she needs to learn is you. You are strong enough to withstand any attacks, though I expect them to be rare. This is non-negotiable on your part. Consider it a divine mission." 

Piccolo growled, his eyeridges drawn low. His muscles ached dully from the tension in them. His temper couldn't take much more. He kept his thoughts to himself, knowing that he couldn't argue further without undermining the Guardian's authority. 

Dende then turned his sight to Brussi. His expression firm and slightly cold. "Piccolo can be trusted. He can help Mai gain control. I don't intend to keep you two separated-" 

A slightly guttural noise from Piccolo interrupted. Dende shot him a warning glare, then continued, "but if you interfere with her training, you could destroy Mai's chance of living a peaceful life." 

Brussi snorted at the mention of a 'peaceful life.' Sounded boring to her. She glanced at Mai. The younger woman had her head slightly bowed and her shoulders drooped. Brussi didn't like the idea of handing the brat over to the large Namek male. Mai wouldn't have the power to defend herself from him. She was about to protest when the Guardian approached Mai and placed his hand on the Namek woman's shoulder. 

Mai looked up into Dende's face. His expression had softened, though it still held the shadow of firm resolve. 

"Mai, you can trust Piccolo." Dende tried to make his words convincing. He knew Piccolo could be rough and he would need to speak with the warrior about it. At the moment, though, he had to assure the Namek woman everything would be all right. "If you listen to him, he can guide you through this." 

Mai thought for a few moments. She licked her dry lips, grimacing at the metallic taste that still lingered there. She rubbed her fingers over her chin. _I can't let this happen again..._

"All right. I'll go with him." 

"Brat..." Brussi took a step toward Mai, but the younger woman forestalled her. 

Mai shook her head. "I have to, Brussi. I... don't want to hurt anyone else. I don't want to become lost in those feelings again. You don't know what it was like..." 

Brussi made an annoyed sound. How bad could it have been? She studied Mai for a moment. She took in the faint lines around the Namek woman's eyes, the puffiness from the crying and the paleness that had crept into the green skin. Her friend seemed close to collapsing to the ground. Ok, maybe it was bad. 

Mai attempted a smile. She could tell the Saiyan had backed down from her objection. "Besides, you can come check up on me. You wouldn't want me to forget you, would you?" 

"Heh. Don't count on it, brat. I'll make sure you don't." Brussi punched Mai lightly in the arm. 

"Ahem. Excuse me, but Mr. Popo has prepared the bath." Mr. Popo stood a little ways down the path. How long he had been there, the others didn't know. 

Dende nodded to the dijin, then patted Mai's shoulder. "Why don't you and Brussi go clean up. Then you two can relax and talk for a while. Mr. Popo can bring some food for your friend." 

Brussi's attention perked up at the mention of supper. She hadn't eaten since she and Mai had first been taken to Capsule Corp. And that meal had been interrupted before she could finish. Her stomach rumbled a bit. 

Mai grinned, her first in what seemed like a long while. She chuckled. "Sounds like you agree it's a good idea, Brussi." 

"Brat!" Brussi punched Mai's arm again, not quite so lightly this time, and growled. 

"Savage!" Mai stuck out her tongue at the Saiyan, then strolled briskly down the walkway. She didn't get far before Brussi caught up and cuffed her on the head. The younger Namek made a show of covering herself. The two continued on like that towards the palace, trading words and, in Brussi's case, slight blows. 

"They have an... interesting way of relating to each other, don't they?" asked Dende. He wasn't sure if he was more amused or worried. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. The two had lived in an abusive environment for years. That had to affect their reactions and perceptions at least a little. He moved closer to Piccolo, reaching a hand up near the warrior's torn ear. A warm light gathered, then spread over the injury and healing it. 

"Hmph." Piccolo's ear twitched occasionally as cartilage and skin reformed. He watched as Brussi and Mai entered the palace, followed by Mr. Popo. Once they were inside, he turned his attention to the Guardian. He still didn't like this plan. 

Dende finished and stepped back, scrutinizing his work. He caught Piccolo's look and held up a hand. He shook his head firmly. "I know you want to argue about this. I meant what I said. She's agreed to the training. You will be her teacher until she can control her demon side." 

"Feh. What happened to free will and not meddling directly?" Piccolo stared down at the young Guardian. 

"You can take it up with North Kai, if you think it's that important." Dende smirked, his brows drawn down slightly. He half turned away, tapping the tip of a nail against his chin as if thinking. "But I seem to remember another Namek with a similar problem who was given a chance." 

"Grr... fine. At least you could have left the decision regarding that demented Saiyan up to me." Piccolo glowered at Dende's profile. 

"I'm sorry, Piccolo. But I think Mai needs to know she won't be cut off from the one familiar thing she has. Try to get along with Brussi and try not to be too rough with Mai." 

Piccolo growled softly, averting his gaze away from Dende. The conversation was over as far as he was concerned. The stubborn young Guardian wasn't going to listen. Piccolo was stuck with a student he didn't want and a reactive Saiyan he didn't need in his life. 

Dende rested one arm behind his back and nodded. Piccolo wasn't happy with the arrangement, but he could be counted on to do his best. The young Namek began to walk down the pathway, back towards the palace. 

"Dende, I won't hesitate to kill her or imprison her if I have to. This world doesn't need another a repeat of Daimaou."

Dende stopped, glancing back at Piccolo.

"She may not have his strength, but she could cause a lot of harm before being taken down." Piccolo didn't look at Dende as he spoke. His even tone perhaps more telling of his seriousness than a more argumentative one would be. 

Dende nodded again, his own voice as even. "I know, Piccolo."


End file.
